Family Bonding
by Boho-Indie Queen
Summary: The Big Three and their kids go camping to bond. Yes, you read right. They are going camping for 5 days to bond. Will it end well? First story, contructive critisism welcome.
1. Chapter 1

Family Bonding

Chapter 1

PERCY

"We're what?" Nico half screamed and half asked.

Chiron sighed, "You're going camping with your fathers. It was Hera, Demeter, and Hestia's idea."

The fact the Big Three were going camping to _bond _scared me. The fact that they were bringing Thalia, Nico, and me along scared me even more. I love my dad, don't get me wrong, but spending five entire days with him, his brothers, and their kids? Now that was just too much. Not to mention that we all didn't exactly get along too well. I guess that's why we have to go on this camping trip.

"At least I'll be rid of you two for a while," Mr. D muttered.

"When do we leave?" I asked.

"At noon," Chiron said. "That leaves you an hour to get ready."

NICO

As I packed I thought of my dad. He was proud of me for what I did in the war, but he was still distant like he'd never been around a kid before (which he probably hadn't). I knew these five days would be hard for both of us, but especially for him.

My thoughts were interrupted because of the black smoke rising out of the pit I used for contacting the dead. It was ankle deep. A form covered in smoke rose from the pit.

He's here, I thought.

The smoke slowly faded off his body. His hair was unruly like always but not too untidy. His dark eyes still displayed some intensity but it was slightly subdued. He wore a leather jacket over a black v-neck shirt. He wore dark jeans and leather boots. A black backpack was slung carelessly over his shoulder. And on his middle finger was a skull ring similar to my own. There was my dad, Lord of the Dead, in all his dark glory.

The look on his face told me he didn't want to do this either. At least we agreed on something. In a brilliant flash of light, Hestia appeared in the form of a young woman. They held warmth and kindness, as well as a bit of danger.

"Are you ready?" she asked sweetly.

I nodded and we were engulfed in a mixture of black smoke and bright light.

PERCY

As I zipped up my bag, I could smell an ocean breeze. I knew he was coming. My emotions were mixed. I was nervous and happy. Happy because I am going to spend time with him, but nervous because I am afraid of how the trip will turn out. I was hoping we wouldn't kill each other on the first day.

I turned to greet my dad, after I had felt a warm glow on my back. He was sporting khaki shorts and a green t-shirt. Definitely not his usual choice. On his feet were leather sandals and a blue backpack was over his shoulder. He was smiling but it looked forced.

I sighed. "Dad, I know you're not comfortable."

His smile faded. In his eyes I saw misery. I tried to suppress a smile. He gave me a stern look. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a flash. Demeter stood next to my dad with a slightly mischievous smile on her face.

"Let's go," she said and I was blinded with light.

THALIA

I couldn't believe I was doing this. When Artemis told me I was going camping I was fine. When she told me I was going with Percy and Nico I was okay. When she told me I was going with my dad and uncles, I was nowhere even near okay.

The only bright side was I could wear my old clothes. I wore my usual ensemble that consisted of black denim shorts, a white v-neck shirt, and electric blue converse.

Artemis stood by me as I waited. "This may be highly uncomfortable for you-"

"You think?" I snapped at her. I sighed. "I'm sorry, my lady."

She put an arm around my shoulders. "I know how you feel. Father and our uncles are difficult..."

"Difficult?"

"Nearly impossible," Artemis corrected. "They argue and bicker. I also know how you feel about Father."

I gulped. "I know you do."

"That's the purpose of this trip, remember?"

"Yeah."

Then, in a flash and boom of thunder, my dad was standing there. He wore dark jeans and an electric blue t-shirt. He also wore what looked like black sneakers. I raised an eyebrow at his different, very different, fashion choice. A gray backpack was slung on his shoulder.

"Hello, Father," Artemis bowed. I followed by her example.

"Hello, Artemis." He hesitated for a moment. "Thalia."

Then, in an even brighter light, Queen Hera stood next to Zeus. She glared at me with hate and disgust in her eyes. Typical Queen of the Heavens.

"Let's go," she growled.

Then in a brilliant light with the sound of thunder in the background, we were gone.

HADES

We were the first to arrive. I simply could not believe our sisters. I mean, sure we bicker, but is that not precisely how brothers are supposed to act? Persephone just had to agree with her mother.

It wasn't just my brothers I was worried about, though. Nico was the one I was actually scared of. I knew I wasn't the greatest father, but how could I be? I was Hades, Lord of the Dead. I was proud of him, there was no doubting that, I simply didn't know how to change.

"This place is cool," Nico said, his voice full of awe, causing me to break free of my rambling thoughts.

I looked around. He was right. We stood in the center of a clearing surrounded by tall pine trees. Snow covered mountains stood high and proud around the valley. In the distance, the sound of running water could be heard.

"Well," Hestia sighed, "I'll be leaving you two. Good luck."

She smiled, giving me a look that said 'Behave yourself, Hades,' and faded into light. I had a grim feeling that there wouldn't be very much smiling on this trip.

Another flash escaped, leaving Poseidon, Demeter, and Percy in its place. The boys exchanged their greetings while we gods stood to the side. I sighed, massaging my temple.

Demeter looked at me with a strange glint in her eye. "Aw, is the Grim Creeper tired already?"

The moment the words 'Grim Creeper' left Demeter's lips, I heard the sound of choking. I looked over at the boys. Their faces were turning red and their lips were quivering. They were trying not to laugh. Poseidon, on the other hand, was not holding back. His laughter was echoing throughout the valley. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of Olympus could hear him.

My blood pressure was rising. "Why you insufferable-"

"Oh relax, Hades," Poseidon snickered through his laughter.

"Yes, Hades," Demeter tried for an innocent tone, "it was only a joke. Now, I must be off. Bye, boys."

In brilliant light, much like Hestia, she was gone. We were left alone with each other, but not for too long.

POSEIDON

In the brightest flash with claps of thunder, Zeus appeared with Hera and Thalia at his side. Of course, typical Zeus with his dramatic entrances and exits. He would have done well as the god of theater. Hera wore a smug smile, the kind that always made me feel either sick or uneasy. Zeus and Thalia were miserable and annoyed.

"Well," Hera said, breaking the awkward silence that was brewing, "I must be off. Ciao."

"Good riddance, the All-Mighty-Loose-Cannon," Thalia muttered.

We all cracked up. Even Hades was chuckling. Zeus just smiled. The laughter quickly died down.

"Hey, Perce and Nico," Thalia greeted her cousins.

"Hey, Thals," the boys said in unison.

They looked at us and crossed their arms, as if expecting us to greet each other.

"What?" my brothers and I demanded.

Their stares turned into glares. We complied.

"Zeus, Poseidon," Hades grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Poseidon, Hades," Zeus muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hades, Zeus," I sighed.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the kids look at each other and shake their heads.

"It's no wonder you're on this trip," Percy said.

"Yeah," Nico agreed. "You're worse than when we fought about which band was better: Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, or Alice Cooper and that was bad."

Thalia said, 'Motley Crue,' while Percy countered with, 'Twisted Sister,' and Nico said, 'Alice Cooper.'

They glared at each other. A growling sound came from their throats. Then they started arguing with each other. I couldn't understand a word they were saying. The looks on my brothers' faces told me they didn't either.

"Well, now we know why they're here," Hades muttered.

"Y' know what?" Percy spoke up. "How 'bout we forget whose better and just enjoy the trip."

The other two looked at each other and nodded. "Okay."

"Wow," Zeus muttered in astonishment, "that was easy."

I smiled. I was proud of my boy for being the peace maker. I just hoped the peace would last.

ZEUS

Poseidon had a smug smile, maybe not on purpose, but it was still smug. Probably proud of his son, no doubt.

"So, what do we do now?" Thalia asked.

"Set up camp?" Nico suggested.

And so we did. There were three tents: blue, green and black. Poseidon and I fought over the blue one. I won, of course, and he had to settle on the green one. Hades was perfectly content with the black tent. The only issue was that we had to share with our kids.

After we finished setting up camp, we stood around awkwardly. What could we do? It was 2:13.

"How about we go down to the river and swim?" Poseidon suggested.

"And have you and Kelp For Brains Jr. drown us?" Hades snorted. "No thank you."

I had to agree with him on that one. Poseidon and Percy looked slightly offended.

"What about a hike?" Thalia said. "Just to get things started."

"All right," the rest of us grumbled.

HADES

Well this is going to be fun. Even my thoughts were sarcastic. I doubted anything good would come out of this. It was worth a shot, a miserable, failing shot. And so our adventure begins.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, guys! Thank you so much for reviewing. It is greatly appreciated. Sorry if there were grammar mistakes, this story is un-betaed, so if anyone is free message me please. Also, if anyone wants or has any ideas, please feel free to message me and I'll see what I could do to include them in the story, thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't think Rick Riordan is a 13 year old girl from Idaho, do you? No? Good, and if you do, you are sadly mistaken, sir (or ma'am). Enjoy!**

Family Bonding

Chapter 2

NICO

Someone kill me, please. I swear by the end of this trip we're all going to kill each other. Except our dads who are immortal, but you know what I mean.

The hike started out fine until Poseidon "accidentally" tripped Zeus. Then they started to argue and the sky started to darken. I was afraid that lightning would hit a tree and start a forest fire or something. My dad tried to calm them down, but that was a failure, so Percy and Thalia had to get involved. It kind of worked. They stopped fighting, but there were lingering clouds waiting to be summoned for a fight.

The rest of the hike was, I guess you can say, quiet. There was still some tension, but not enough to be noticed easily. It was cut a little short by…

"The river!" Poseidon and Percy gleefully exclaimed.

They dropped their packs and jumped in clothes and all. They surfaced, grinning, not even wet of course. They looked at each other and grinned even wider. We set our packs off to the side and watched them, which happened to be a mistake when water wrapped around my leg and dragged me in. Water immediately rushed into my nose, causing a burning sensation. I came up to the surface coughing and sputtering. I looked around and noticed the others had suffered the same fate.

Zeus and Thalia were trying to choke the laughing pair, Percy and Poseidon, while my dad got out of the water and sat on the shore. I followed him.

"Are you okay, dad?" I asked, noticing his shivering.

"Hm? Oh! Fine, I'm fine," he said casually, but I didn't believe him.

"Are you cold-"

"No," he quickly interrupted, turning his attention back to the river.

I grinned. "You are, aren't you?"

"So?" he retorted childishly, clearly not happy.

"It's okay. I am, too."

He seemed to relax a little. We watched as Percy and Poseidon defended themselves against an enraged Zeus and Thalia. Poseidon shoved Zeus's head underwater while Percy wrapped Thalia in a bubble. Then, all the hair on my body stood on end and the river became covered with blue sparks. Percy literally jumped out with his hair sizzling and Poseidon had to be dragged because he passed out. Zeus threw him on the sand with Thalia following.

"You guys are idiots," my dad sighed while shaking his head.

Zeus

I think I over did it with the lightning. Percy looked as if he was on the verge of passing out like his father. Hades and I suggested we should leave then in a ditch but got scolded and by our own children no less. We set Poseidon in the grass and stood around him.

"How do we wake him up?" Percy asked. "The water isn't affecting him."

I glanced up at Hades. I could see the wheels turning in his head. Then I thought of something. If lighting knocked him out, then maybe lightning could wake him up.

HADES

Did Zeus have to be such an imbecile? Wait, scratch that. It's Zeus, of course he's an imbecile. I mean, I'm fine with him for getting revenge for the whole tripping thing, but this was just ridiculous.

"Well, I'm stumped," the demigods grumbled.

I looked up at Zeus and found myself rather worried. The look in his eyes was one that usually made you back away slowly and search for a straight jacket.

"Zeus," I started slowly, "what are you thinking?"

He completely ignored me, the idiotic jerk, and knelt beside Poseidon. Blue sparks flickered around him. For a horrible and wonderful moment I thought he was going to fry our brother, but then he just ended up shocking him.

Poseidon's eyes fluttered open and he sat up so fast he head butted me. We groaned in pain and I stumbled back, clutching my head. I could hear stifled laughter in the background.

"Watch it, Fish Breath," I growled.

"Blame Zeus." said brother glared at him.

"Well," Thalia interrupted, "since the river was an epic failure, what should we do now?"

The demigods looked at us expectantly. Zeus looked at Poseidon and then they both turned their eyes on me. Why did I have to be the oldest here? The demigods weren't helping either. Well, Thalia and Percy weren't, being practical replicas of their fathers, they were utterly useless. Nico, on the other hand, just shrugged with an apologetic look. I sighed.

"Well?" my brothers asked as if expecting a death to occur, which they probably were.

"I'm thinking," I snapped.

Not too long after, maybe a minute or so, in unison, in sing-song voices, "We're waiting…"

"Will. You. Shut. Up?"

"Nope," they said popping the 'p'.

"I am going to kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try!" from Poseidon

"Bring it on!" from Zeus.

I was about to lunge when Nico interrupted by saying, "Oh! Look at the time! It's already 5:24. We should probably be heading back to make dinner."

I inwardly sighed in relief. Sometimes I think, how did I end up with a kid like him? And then other times I wonder, how in Tartarus did I end up with a kid like him?

PERCY

That was probably the most interesting and weirdest hike I've ever been on in my life. Of course, I should've known trouble was stalking us when the Big Three and their kids go camping with each other. That's like shooting up a flair to chaos and mayhem with a sign saying, 'I am here! Please, make my life miserable because it wasn't very miserable before.' Note the heavy sarcasm.

The walk back was quiet, thank the gods, but an awkward silence hung in the air. Thalia and Nico were on either side of me and our dads were in front of us in the same order.

Finally I said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Well, that was interesting."

My cousins looked at me, but our dads showed no sign of hearing me.

"No, really?" Thalia's tone of sarcasm was as thick as fog. "Besides, you were the one that started it.

"Watch it, Pikachu."

Nico and I couldn't help but laugh at her flabbergasted expression. "P-Pikachu? Well at least I'm not a Seaweed Brain, Squirtle."

Now it was my turn to look shocked and her turn to laugh. My cousins' laughter echoed throughout the valley.

"You just got owned, Perce," Nico laughed.

"Shut it, Duskull," I snapped at him.

"Hey!"

I heard quiet, throaty chuckling up ahead. Apparently so did Nico and Thalia.

"Dad?" all three of us asked.

The chuckling stopped. They slowly turned their heads, just barely enough to look over their shoulders.

"Are you laughing?"

"No." And with that they looked forward as if nothing ever happened.

We glanced at each other with identical sly smiles on our faces.

"Hey, Thals," I called.

"Yeah?"

"If you're Pikachu…"

"Yeah?" I could hear the amusement creeping into her voice.

"Would that make your dad-"

"Raichu?" she finished, grinning. "Yeah."

"Then that would make your dad," Nico started.

"Blastoise," I finished. "And your dad would be-"

"Dusclops," we said together laughing.

We were laughing so hard that we didn't even notice our dads had stopped walking. Until we ran into them. Our laughing immediately stopped. They finally turned to look at us head on. But they didn't look mad. In fact, they didn't even look annoyed. They each had an eyebrow raised and the corners of their lips were quirked upward.

"Seriously?" all three asked at once.

"What?" we asked innocently.

They just chuckled, rolling their eyes and shaking their heads, and turned back around.

**A/N: Sorry if there was too much OOCness, I try my best to balance them out. If you like the Pokemon stuff, great! If you don't, I'm sorry. Sometimes when I write my mind just wanders into unspeakable places. Anyway, please review. And remember if you have any ideas, please feel free to message me, thanks! Also, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I am so sorry for not updating as soon as I promised, I truly am. Things have just been a little…hectic I guess you could say. I have looked through the reviews and messages I have received and I will do my best to incorporate your suggestions into the story. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I am of the female gender at the age of thirteen…Need I say more?**

Family Bonding

Chapter 3

THALIA

Now we were back at square one: camp. My shoulders were sore from carrying the backpack for so long. I slipped it off my shoulders and flung it randomly.

"Ow!" Apparently I had hit Percy. He stomped over dragging the backpack behind him.

"Can you watch where you throw things?" he growled, rubbing the back of his head.

"How is someone with the curse of Achilles hurt by a little backpack?" I asked in a teasing tone.

He hesitated like he was trying to come up with a comeback, but he pouted and stomped away. A smirk tugged at my lips.

"Well, that was quite an amusing sight," a voice said behind me.

I nearly jumped a foot high and yelped. I instinctively swung blindly and nailed…I just punched my dad in the face.

"Oh my gods!" I screamed.

Heads turned towards me. Laughter erupted from my uncles; they were rolling on the floor, clutching their sides.

Nico and Percy's mouths were so wide I thought bald eagles could lay nests in there.

"You just hit your dad!" they yelled.

"I know that, you idiots!" I screeched back.

As we argued, I could hear my uncles howling with laughter in the background. I sharply turned my head towards them. Their faces were turning interesting shades of red, blue, and purple. I glanced back at my dad. Golden ichor trickled down his nose, which made me wince, and his lips were quivering and mumbling quietly.

PERCY

I can't believe she just hit Zeus! I wasn't sure if I should laugh, not quite like my dad and uncle, or panic, kind of what Thalia was doing right now.

She was pacing back and forth along the length of Zeus's body. Her eyes were filled with worry and guilt.

Nico and I glanced at each other and a look of understanding passed between us. We walked over to our dads, who were now chuckling and snickering, and grabbed them by the ears like children. They started to protest and complain like five year olds. We dragged them to Zeus.

"Fix this," Nico and I demanded.

They pouted, rubbing their ears. W gave them stern looks and they sighed. Their eyes drifted over Zeus's unconscious form. Sly grins painted themselves on their lips as they kept stealing quick glances at one another. Out of nowhere, a blue bucket filled with water appeared in my dad's hands. At first, I thought he was going to dump it all over Zeus, but instead, he just knelt down next to him and set the bucket down. Then Hades knelt down on the other side of Zeus, opposite of my dad. They grabbed Zeus's arms and sat him up while he mumbled nonsense. Then, out of nowhere, they shoved his head into the bucket.

Gasps came from my cousins and I could feel my chin hit the grass. For a moment nothing happened; everything was quiet. Then Zeus started struggling and panicking. Hades and Poseidon let go, snickering, as he pulled his head out of the water, gasping for air with the occasional cough.

"I hate you two," he growled with a gasp in between each word.

They just smiled sweetly. "We love you, too."

NICO

We have the craziest dads, I swear.

Zeus was still recovering, taking deep breaths, while Poseidon and my dad were still snickering behind his back. I simply shook my head at their antics. As I did this, I caught Thalia and Percy looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Your dad's next," Thalia said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your dad is the next to pass out."

Apparently my dad over heard this because I saw him look our way with and offended expression. "Oh, there is no way that is going to happen."

"And just what, brother, makes you think differently?" Poseidon's tone held both genuine curiosity and a temper.

"Well, firstly because I'm not an idiot like you two, and secondly because I'm not an idiot like you two."

Poseidon's expression was blank. "You just said the same thing twice."

Dad seemed unfazed. "Exactly."

Poseidon, being the mature god his is, stuck his tongue out. My dad also did something mature, though it was a hand sign I'd rather not speak of. Sparks seemed to pass between the two as they glared. Then I realized there actually were sparks as Zeus was still between them.

Zeus opened his mouth to say something, most likely to yell at them, but was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound.

For a second I thought it was a bear or an avalanche, that is, until Thalia started to nervously laugh. We slowly turned in her direction. Her face was beat red and she was biting her lip in a nervous manner.

"Was that you, Thals?" Percy asked, awe evident in his voice.

"Maybe…kinda…yeah," she admitted.

"Damn," I heard my dad mutter.

POSEIDON

"Well then, I guess we need a fire," Zeus stated the obvious, then turned to me. "You and Hades go get wood."

"What?" I couldn't tell if I had heard him right.

He rolled his eyes and repeated slowly, "You and Hades go get firewood."

Hades and I looked at each other, then back to Zeus. "No way."

"Dad," Percy and Nico pleaded.

We sighed. "Fine."

Hades turned and trudged into the woods with me following.

HADES

Of course I get stuck looking for firewood with Poseidon. I should've told Zeus to take his firewood and…never mind. Poseidon and I didn't say a word to each other. We just collected firewood like good boys.

We were, finally, heading back when I ungracefully tripped. I think I actually rolled a few feet. I don't remember everything because I'm pretty sure I had face-planted into a tree. Poseidon's laughter echoed throughout the forest.

Everything was blurry as I stared up at the sky. I could hear footsteps coming closer when Poseidon's unfocused form was suddenly hovering above me.

"Are you okay?" I could hear snickering hidden in that question.

"If okay means everything is blurry and my head feels like its being beaten by a hammer…then I'm just peachy," I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

He held an arm out to me. Though I didn't like it, I took it gratefully. He pulled me up slowly, mostly because my limbs weren't functioning properly and I kept falling. When I was fully standing he let go, only to leave me to fall again. Luckily he caught me by my midsection.

"I think you should sit down for a while."

"Now, what led you to that conclusion? Was it the fact my legs aren't working correctly?"

He just chuckled as he sat me down against a tree. He sat next to me, on my left. I could still hear his quiet throaty chuckles.

"This isn't funny."

"Oh, yes, yes it is."

"Well, at least I didn't faint like some people I know."

"Well, at least I didn't look like a twenty-one year old woman who can't hold her liquor like someone I know."

At that one I glared at him. He just responded with a sly grin.

"I hate you."

"No, you love me."

"And…just what gave you that idea?"

"You're my older brother…you have to."

"No I don't, and you are not my brother…you are a little hellion our parents sent to make my life hell."

"What about Zeus?" Now he sounded a little offended.

"And he's your little sidekick."

He was quiet for a bit, like he was thinking about this.

"Okay, I like the sidekick part…but he's my hellion too, you know."

At this I laughed. "Then you know how I feel."

"Hey!"

My vision had gotten better and the pounding of my head wasn't as strong anymore. Slowly, I used the tree as a crutch as I stood. Poseidon followed my lead.

**A/N: I hoped you liked it. I wanted to get a little fluffy brotherly bonding in this one and of course some minor violence. Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for everyone who has favorited this story; I appreciate it. Betaed chapters will be up soon thanks to TheNineMuses. Review and if you have ideas, please feel free to share.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own PJO, simple as that. Or any of the food/drink brands mentioned.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 4

POSEIDON

Sometimes it's nice to know you're brothers with gods. Why do you ask? The answer is simple: it's good to know you can have blackmail on them for all eternity, which can, in fact, ruin their reputation for centuries.

Hades was still stumbling around a bit, not too horribly though, more like a dizzy klutz. I still kept within arm's reach, just in case. At least every other minute I thought he was going to run into a tree. Well, that is, until we found an unwanted surprise for him.

"Gods, why does it feel like we've been walking for hours?" His tone held quite an amount of irritation.

"Maybe it's because you're still disoriented," I teased him with a tone that I knew would annoy him.

"Oh ha-ha, you're a freakin' genius. Where'd you get that from?"

"You're the one who asked."

He turned silent. When he didn't say anything for a moment or two, I glanced his way. The slightest hint of pink brushed his cheeks; he was flushed in embarrassment. I had to bite back a grin.

"I'm glad you find this amusing," he grumbled without looking at me.

"It's just strange seeing you like this, that's all."

He grumbled under his breath so I couldn't hear him. With each of our steps, dead branches and leaves snapped. Birds called to one another from within the tree tops.

"I need to stop for a second," Hades announced with a sigh as he leaned against an old pine.

"It's been a second," I joked. The only response I received was a glare.

Seeing as I was going to get no conversation from him, my eyes drifted to our surroundings. We were at the edge of a small clearing about a few hundred yards from camp. I could just barely make out the small shifting forms of Zeus and the children.

As I watched, I heard a sharp intake of breath from behind me. I turned to see Hades, his eyes as big as quarters, with a spider on his nose. I bit my lip before any form of amusement crossed my face. His eyes were crossed, trying to look, and his body had become as stiff as the trunk of the tree. His face drained of what little color it already had, as I saw a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.

"Stay calm, Hades," I said, trying to sound as serious as was possible at the moment.

He remained in the same position as if he hadn't even registered what I had just said. With a sigh I stepped forward, raising my hands slowly. In one swift movement, I reached for the spider and crushed it. A long deep sigh came from Hades.

"You're welcome," I smirked. "I didn't know you were scared of spiders."

His face grew red. "I'm not scared…That one was just poisonous."

"You are immortal; you can't die."

"Well…I…" he was at loss for words for just a second, then sighed and snorted. "At least I'm not as scared as Athena."

I had to laugh at this. "True…what a shame."

His face became a blank slate. "Just…don't tell anyone."

"Oh, I think they'll find out when you wake up in a sleeping bag full of them."

"You wouldn't dare." The tone of threat hung to his words, but they veiled a noticeable fear.

"Wanna bet?"

He just swallowed and looked away. His face was still a little pink.

And so we started to make our way back to camp…again. Every time we passed a tree Hades would always stay at least a foot away. As a result, I could always feel his shoulder brush mine. It was kind of a funny feeling knowing your older brother looked to you for comfort, even if he didn't say or notice it.

ZEUS

The children and I sat waiting for my imbeciles of brothers to return with firewood. It was already 6:48 and the sun was getting lower with each passing moment. The air was starting to get cool. I was about to go look for them myself when I saw them come from the woods.

"It's about time," I grumbled when they were within in hearing range.

"Sorry," Poseidon smiled, "Hades had a little, uh, mishap."

The children looked at them curiously and, alright I'll admit, I did too. A countenance of annoyance was worn by

Hades. Poseidon's lips just curled into a Cheshire grin.

"Oh nothing," Poseidon yawned nonchalantly. "Hades just, you know, tripped and hit his face against a tree."

I wasn't sure which was funnier; what Poseidon said or how he said it. Never the less, it was funny. Percy, Thalia, and I just started laughing. Nico stood with his mouth agape.

"At least I didn't faint!" Hades interjected.

I tried to control my laughter as Hades hit me in the back of the head with a log. I winced as I rubbed the back of my head and glared.

"Can we eat now," Thalia shouted over everyone, "'cause I'm freakin' starving."

"I don't know, can we?" Nico asked jokingly and as a response got a good hard slap on the cheek that left a hand shaped mark.

"You really wanna go there, Death Breath?"

"No, ma'am," he said rubbing his sore cheek as Percy laughed.

Thalia set up the fire while Percy got the supplies. The rest of us sat around the now rather large fire. Percy walked around handing each of us a goblet.

"Chiron said we could use these while we're here," he explained to our curious looks. "So, ask for anything to drink and it will appear in the goblet, nonalcoholic of course."

"Root Beer," Hades and Nico said at the same time then smiled at each other.

"Vanilla Pepsi," Thalia said and I looked at her. "What?"

"That's what I was about to say."

"Weird," Hades and Nico muttered before taking sips of their beverages and I ordered mine.

"Blue Cherry Coke," Percy said.

Poseidon hesitated for a moment as a smirk tugged at his lips. "Cherry Coke."

"Weird," Hades and Nico muttered again and took sips of Root Beer.

"You two are ones to talk," Thalia and I snorted at the same time.

They just smiled as if we had given them the best compliment we were capable of giving.

**A/N: Next chapter will be part food fight, just letting you know now. Thanks for reading and I'll do my best to update tomorrow. Remember to message me or something if you have ideas. Just to let you know though, I'm not really a Thalico fan, thanks. And not even PercyxThalia either.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'm so sorry to the millionth power! I swear you can burn me at the stake, stretch me to full capasity, whatever you feel is rightly suited as punishment for my delay. I'll try to make it up to you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or any food/drink brands mentioned. Simple as that.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 5

PERCY

It's always unsettling when your cousin is staring at you with a sly grin on their face. If you're wondering, yes, it's Thalia. I stood over the portable grill cooking hamburgers and hot dogs when I felt an amused stare on me. I looked to find Thalia sipping her Pepsi, amusement slapped across her face and smile playing at her lips.

"What?" I asked as I felt the irritation rise in my blood.

She just shrugged in a nonchalant way. "Nothing, Seaweed Brain."

Upon hearing that name, I felt a growing loss in my stomach. I missed Annabeth. I know it was only the first day but… I inwardly groaned. If this was only the first day, how was I going to feel by the fifth day?

"Hey, chef, how long are you going to take?" Nico complained from my right.

"I'm working on it," I replied with a growl.

"Well work faster."

I snapped. Don't ask me what happened next because even I'm not quite sure how it played out. The next thing I knew, Nico had a face full of hamburger. The force of the attack was enough to knock him flat on his back. When he composed himself, he stared wide-eyed at me.

Thalia, on the other hand, thought that was the funniest thing in the world and started laughing so hard she nearly fell out of her seat. Our dads sat on the side looking at us with strange expressions, like they were looking at mirror images of themselves.

"There's your freakin' dinner," I grunted, turning back to the grill.

An awkward silence hung in the air. When I was done cooking, dinner was served, followed by offerings to the gods. Nico was hesitant at first. He looked at me, then at the plate and back to me as if he thought I was going to take it and shove it into his face. After several moments, he cautiously took the plate. He slowly nibbled at his Cool Ranch Doritos as he watched me serve everyone else.

I can honestly say sitting down to eat was possibly the only calm moment of the entire day. It was interesting to see our dads act,almost. like normal mortal fathers. Of course this peace and quiet wouldn't last long when we're involved. Oh no, Nico just had to ruin it when he threw his hamburger (patty, cheese, pickles, lettuce, condiments, and all) at my face. All of a sudden, everything turned to slow motion. I reached for something,anything really, and threw it back. That something happened to be Thalia's burger, which happened to be on its way to her mouth. She wasn't too thrilled about that.

"Seaweed Brain!" she shouted to the top of her lungs. "Zombie Boy, you are so dead!"

This was no longer a battle. This was a full out war. We threw whatever we could. Food, silverware, and even goblets flew everywhere. In less than five minutes we were all covered in ketchup, mustard, and cheese.

We were all about to strike the finishing blow when a loud, sharp whistle cut through the air. We turned to see Zeus with his fingers to his lips. They weren't as badly cheesed as we were, but they were close. Nervous laughs left our lips. For l long moment I thought they were going to turn us to dust. I swallowed hard. Instead my dad just sighed and snapped his fingers. Everything was clean; it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Our plates were filled with food again. My dad and I had cheese burgers with sour cream and onion Pringles. Thalia and Zeus had burgers with original Lays. Nico and Hades had cheese burgers with Cool Ranch Doritos. Our goblets were also refilled. Dinner was silent. We all stared at the fire, not bothering to talk or even look at each other.

THALIA

This felt so awkward. Of course Kelp for Brains and Death Breath would do something this stupid, idiot boys. I was hoping something like this wouldn't happen, but when you're a demigod, let alone a child of the Big Three, things don't always turn out the way you plan.

After dinner was cleaned up, Percy left for a moment and returned holding a bag of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers, and a packet of Hersey's chocolate. A goofy smile was plastered on his face. His eyes asked the silent question. _Anyone up for some s'mores?_

"Now all we need is a guitar and it'll be just like camp," Nico chuckled as he roasted his marshmallow.

"Hold that thought," Hades said as he stood and strolled to his tent.

We all looked at each other curiously. When Hades emerged a few seconds later, he carried a black guitar case. We stared at him with our mouths agape.

"Since when could you play guitar?" my father demanded.

Hades just shrugged. "Well, I have to have something to do when I have free time."

He sat and opened the case. It was possibly one of the most beautiful guitars I had ever seen. The body was pitch black with a blood red pick guard. The head was also black. Even in the dim light of the fire it glowed.

He set it on his lap and began to play. I knew the tune immediately; it was one of the many songs I could never stop playing when I was little. It was 'Wish You Were Here' by Pink Floyd. I could feel myself swaying to the music. I looked at my father and uncles and saw the same reaction. Then Hades opened his mouth and I felt my eyebrows rise; he was actually a decent singer.

His voice was deep and melodious, and it actually fit the song quite well. I glanced over at Nico and saw him staring at his dad with admiration in his eyes and a small smile on his face. Before I knew it the song was finished and we gave a small applause. If I didn't know better, I would've sworn the lightest blush crept onto his cheeks.

"Not bad, brother," Poseidon smiled.

Hades politely nodded his head. Then he began to play and again it was another song I knew: 'Under My Wheels' by Alice Cooper. When he sang;however, it wasn't just him. Poseidon had joined, which seemed to take Hades off guard for a second. Their voices worked well together. Once the song was over there was another round of applause.

It was quickly followed by 'Hells Bells' by AC/DC. My uncles had nearly choked when they heard my dad join in on the chorus. To be honest, it even caught me by surprise. It went surprisingly well, though. The set list was composed of: 'Sweet Emotion' by Aerosmith, 'Paradise City' by Guns N' Roses, 'Paint It Black' by The Rolling Stones, 'When I'm Sixty-Four' by The Beatles, and 'Sunshine Of Your Love' by Cream.

Accompanied with the music came the feeling of being bloated with marshmallows and chocolate. Percy and Nico were nearly passed out in their seats. I had to hold back a snicker looking at them.

"Time for bed," our dads announced.

Merrily we went to our tents and went to bed. I'm still amazed we haven't killed each other yet. I probably shouldn't jinx it since we've still got four more days to go.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Yay! we're at chapter 6. This is some Hades/Nico bonding.**

**Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with the wonder known as PJO.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 6

NICO

I lay in my sleeping bag, thinking. It was only the first day and things were starting to get better. I could just feel it. My dad was even starting to act _normal_. I know, it's amazing.

He laid next to me with his back facing me. His form was a shade of black except the corner of his pale ear, which almost seemed to glow against the darkness. His breathing was quiet and calm, but I knew he wasn't sleeping.

A sigh left my lips and soon the powers of Hypnos were washing over me.

My eyes slowly fluttered open. I was nearly blinded by the brightness and quickly shielded my eyes. When I regained my vision, I was no longer in the tent. In fact, I didn't even know where I was.

Thick, lush grass of the most vibrant of green lay beneath me. The sky was the clearest of blue, as if weather didn't exist here. Warmth from the sun tingled against my skin. Trees of every shape, size, and color encircled me. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Nico."

I froze. I felt the breath hitch in my throat. With fear coursing through my veins, I slowly turned. There, not more than a few yards away, were my beautiful mother and sister. Their long dark hair was braided over their shoulders. Their eyes held the kindest and gentlest emotion. Gowns of the purest white were draped over their forms.

"Mama…Bianca," I gasped through chapped lips.

They held their arms out to me and cooed, "Come with us, Nico."

I wanted to go with them so badly, but I couldn't. Something was off; something was wrong. I abruptly stood and backed away. Their faces contorted into looks of confusion. Then of fear as the sound of laughter echoed through the air. It sounded like rock scraping against rock. I knew that laugh and felt myself begin to tremble.

The grass began to wilt and turn a sickening shade of yellow. Deep grey soon covered the sky. The sun grew dim and the air grew cold. Leaves began to drop from branches. Everything was dying.

My mother and sister stood there shivering in fear, and I quickly followed suit. From behind them, the shadows thickened into a human form about ten feet tall. It was only the silhouette, but orbs of pure gold mounted themselves as the eyes. It grinned almost inhumanly.

"Poor hero," it crooned.

From behind its back it pulled out a scythe. The blade was wickedly sharp and made of steel and Celestial bronze. With a gleeful chortle, it held the blade against the throats of my mother and Bianca. They had a pleading look in their eyes. What could I do? I didn't have a weapon.

"You can't save them," Kronos sighed with a pleasant tone, "no matter how hard you try."

With each passing moment he brought the five foot blade closer to their necks.

"Stop," I finally managed to croak and tried to step forward, but found I was unable to.

He just smiled as if I was a pet who had just performed a cute trick. Finally, the blade had connected with their necks. Whimpers escaped their lips. I wanted to scream but I couldn't find my voice. The blade kept pulling until I saw red. I couldn't take it anymore.

HADES

I could feel Nico stirring against my back. I glanced over my shoulder to see him drenched in sweat, his face a mask of pure agony. Quickly, I turned over and shook him lightly. He began mumbling incoherent thoughts.

"Nico," I said in a stern hushed tone, "wake up."

Still he thrashed. He was soaked to the bone in sweat. I shook him again with more force. Again, I got no response. Then he stilled and, for a moment, I thought he was done. That is, until I heard a scream even worse than anything I had ever heard in the Fields of Punishment rip through him.

His eyes shot open and warm tears began to stain his cheeks.

"Nico!" I could hear his cousins call his name.

The zipper of the entrance opened so fast I thought it would break. They stuck their heads in, worry written on their faces. I could see my brothers outside trying to get a peek.

"Is Nico okay?" Thalia asked.

I looked back at my son. His breathing was thick and heavy. Every ounce of color was gone from his face. Tears flooded like a broken dam. He was shaking violently.

"A nightmare," I managed to croak.

They solemnly nodded in understanding, though they lingered for some time before shutting the entrance and returned to bed. I laid back down.

"Nico," I called with as much gentleness as I could muster.

He slowly turned to face me. He looked so small and fragile, more like a child than a teenager. His eyes, his mother's eyes, were filled with so much sorrow. I tried to wipe his staining cheeks. He nestled in closer to me.

"What did you see?" I asked after he seemed to calm down.

"I saw Mama and Bianca," he managed, though every other word cracked.

Then he told me the tale. By the end I felt myself shivering with grief. To think he would dream up something like this.

"It's okay," I tried to reassure him. "It was only a dream."

He grasped the front of my shirt and clung tighter to me. I tried to rub his back in a soothing motion. I swallowed hard. I remembered Maria's last words to me and I felt myself choke. _Watch the children_. Watch her children. Watch _**my**_ children. I had let her down the first time. I wasn't going to do it again.

"Tell me about Mama," Nico spoke at last.

I looked down at him. "What do you want to know?"

He shrugged. "Anything."

I licked my drying lips. There were so many things I could say. It was almost too painful to remember some of them, too.

I finally settled with, "You're just like her."

"You mean a pain in the butt?"

I almost smiled. "No—well, kind of, but no. You have her fighting spirit. She would be so proud."

He stayed silent for a few moments. "What about Bianca? Isn't she the perfect child?"

It felt like a knife went through my chest. "You and Bianca are two completely different people. True, you both have qualities of your mother, and even some from me, but you are the one who could make it farther."

He went silent again, but for a longer period of time. When I looked down, I had seen that he had fallen asleep. A small smile played at my lips. Now I knew what it was like to be a father.

**A/N: I hope that touched your heart. Hades and Nico are in my top 5 favorite characters. On another note, if you have ideas, again feel free to tell me. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for everyone who reviewed. I will try to put more bonding moments in here, just give me time.**

**Disclaimer: Rick owns this; I do not.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 7

PERCY

I could feel the heat of the morning sun through the tent. I just curled up in my sleeping bag; however, I felt something draped over my back. I uncovered my face to see my dad fast asleep and sprawled out as if he was the only one in here. His arm was draped over my back and a small pool of drool collected near the corner of his mouth.

_Now I know where I get it from_.

Loud snores emerged from his throat and his hair stuck up in many interesting directions. It's moments like these that I wish I had a camera.

I tried to remove his arm from me, as gently as possible, without disturbing him. The snoring immediately stopped and his arm released me, only to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at me with tired eyes for a moment, then turned face down into his pillow and grumbled sleepily.

"What time is it?" his muffled voice asked.

"Uh"—I quickly looked at my watch—"6:45. Why?"

He groaned. "That is way too early."

I snorted. "You and me both."

Then his head popped up and he smiled at me. "How about we go fishing?"

I thought about it, and then shrugged. "Sure, but what about the others?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Do you really think they will want to come with us after what happened yesterday?"

"Oh, yeah," I recalled sheepishly. I unzipped my sleeping bag, pulled on my tennis shoes, and emerged from the warm tent.

The outside air was cool and crisp. It smelled like pine, as if someone had shoved one of those car fresheners down my nose. The sun hung just a little over the horizon and the green grass was covered in dew.

I sat at the small bench in the center of camp. From behind me, I heard a deep intake of breath. I looked over my shoulder to see my dad stretching outside of the tent. He had smoothed out his hair, though it still looked a bit messy. He ruffled my hair as he passed, then proceeded to take out the portable grill.

"Um, dad," I asked slowly, "what are doing?"

"I'm making coffee."

I raised my eyebrows. "Gods drink coffee?"

"Of course," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why do you think it's called 'nectar of the gods'?" He smiled at me with a wink.

"Oh."

I heard stirring behind me. I looked to see Thalia and Hades emerged from their tents. Thalia, unlike the rest of us, looked ready to go for the day. Her hair was neat and her bright eyes sparked with energy. Hades, on the other hand, looked almost like my dad. His hair stuck up in many strange positions and underneath his eyes looked dark.

"What's wrong with you Hades?" my dad asked. "You look like the walking dead."

He didn't respond. He just sat next to me facing the tents.

"Uh, uncle?" Thalia asked cautiously.

Hades sighed. "I have been up since four this morning."

"Are you insa—wait! Never mind, I'm talking to Hades. Of course you're insane," my dad laughed.

I thought Hades was going to glare at him or something. To my surprise, he just sighed. He looked exhausted.

"How's Nico?" I asked him out of the blue.

He seemed to wake a little. "He's doing better. He managed to fall back asleep."

"What was the dream about?"

I could see it visibly pained him. "I think it would be best if we not discuss it."

I wanted to ask more, but I could hear the finality in his tone.

Instead, I turned my attention to Thalia. "So where's your dad?"

She snorted and spoke more to my dad and Hades than me, "You know the princess and her beauty sleep."

Now everyone was awake. My dad and uncle had to cover their mouths so they didn't wake anyone else up. I chuckled quietly.

"I heard that!" The sound of Zeus's muffled voice shouted.

This only increased the laughter, which seemed to wake Nico because he shouted, "Some people are trying to sleep y' know!"

We all tried to calm down to the best of our ability. Within the next few moments, Zeus and Nico were up and about. Zeus looked the most presentable of the Big Three; his hair was combed back but he still looked tired. Nico, though, looked more like his father. The only difference was that his eyes were red and puffy.

"Hey, Nico," Thalia greeted in a sweet voice, which was quite unlike her.

Apparently he noticed too. "Please don't treat me like a kid, Thals."

She nodded. Then she quickly turned her head towards my dad.

"What are you making, uncle?"

"Coffee."

"For how many?"

"Three."

"Just three?"

"Yes."

"Can you make it for four?"

"Or five?" Nico butted in.

My dad then turned to me. "Do you want some too?"

"No thanks, dad."

He turned back to what he was doing. I sighed.

"So, I'm guessing you slept well, princess?" Hades asked Zeus with a sweet smile.

Zeus glared at him. "I slept fine, unlike you Zombie Brain."

"Zombies don't have brains."

"Exactly."

"I hate you."

"Okay," my dad interrupted. "After breakfast we will spend time with our children. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," my uncles muttered still glaring at each other.

Breakfast was okay. It was just simple sausages with eggs and toast. Somehow Nico and Thalia got into an argument about whether blackberry or strawberry jam was better. Sometimes, I wonder how I'm related to those two.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own!**

Family Bonding

Chapter 8

POSEIDON

It was a nice change, it simply being Percy and me. We walked silently through the forest. Our destination was just up ahead.

It was a relatively small lake that connected to the river. The water was crystal clear and shined like diamonds in the midday sun. Sand as white as snow composed the shoreline with some moss covered boulders here and there. Pines of every age surrounded us.

"Wow," Percy said off to my right, "this place is beautiful."

I couldn't help but smile at my son's enthusiasm. "It truly is."

I kicked off my sandals and sat in the warm sand; it was so soft it felt like silk. As I relaxed I started whistling the first song that came to mind.

"Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven'," Percy said as he plopped down next to me.

I looked at him. "How do you know that?"

He simply smiled. "Mom."

I smirked. Of course he would know; Eric Clapton was one of her favorite artists. A content sigh left my lips as I cast the line. I had to hold back, though, or else I would have cast the thing a little too far. Percy did the same. I turned to look at him. Even after all these years it still surprised me how much he looked like me. True, he had his mother's nose and smile, but still…

"Dad?" Percy's voice brought me back from the depths of my mind. He was looking at me with a curious look. "Why were you looking at me like that?"

"Just…thinking. That is all." I smiled dryly.

He slowly nodded and turned back to the lake. His face was a mask of calmness, but in his eyes I saw a darker light.

"Is something troubling you, son?"

As soon as the last syllable left my lips his jaw tightened. I raised an eyebrow.

"I…I-I…" he kept stumbling to the point where I couldn't understand a word of what came out of his mouth and his face grew more red by the second.

Finally, after a moment or two incoherent mumbling he spit out, "I miss Annabeth."

I sat there for a moment before smiling and turning back to face the water. "Of course you do. You love her, don't you?"

Out of the corner of my eye I could see his face brighten to a shade of red that should have been impossible. I had to hold back a chuckle.

"H-how do y-you know that?" he stuttered.

I shrugged. "It's kind of, uh, obvious."

"Oh." Percy's number one answer.

"I should know too," I sighed, speaking more to myself than him, "especially with your mother."

I shoved the handle of the fishing pole in the sand, leaned back on my hands, and stared up at the sky. The sky was a bright azure blue with clouds drifting by. I heard stirring next to me looked over to see his eyes looking into mine.

"Why?" he asked quietly.

"Why, what?"

"Why…why did you break the oath when you knew what would happen? Why did you do this to us, to my mom?" In his voice I thought I would hear pain, hurt, or anger. Instead I heard genuine curiosity.

I swallowed hard and laughed nervously. "I honestly don't know what I was thinking at the time."

After a minute of silence he said, "At least Zeus and/or Hades aren't here."

"Why?"

"Because they would probably say you weren't thinking anything at all. And then, of course, add some stupid nickname that has to do with the ocean."

I had to laugh, a loud goodhearted laugh. He certainly knew his uncles quite well.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello, hello. I'm so happy to see all of you! Well, I technically can't see you but just knowing you're here makes me feel better. The next few chapters are a bit more dramatic than funny, I guess, but there is still bonding. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Rick owns PJO. I only own the story idea.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 9

THALIA

Poseidon and Percy were getting smaller and smaller with each passing second. I sighed and turned back to my coffee. From behind me I could hear rustling. Hades and Nico emerging from their tent wearing dark t-shirts, darl jeans, and black boots. Small backpacks were slung over their shoulders.

I raised an eyebrow. "Where are you two going?"

"Hiking," Nico stated simply.

"How long are you going to be gone?" I hoped that didn't sound as desperate as I felt.

They simply shrugged. I swallowed and licked my chapped lips. Within a few minutes, they had disappeared just as Poseidon and Percy had. Now it was just me and my dad. Oh goody…

He sat down across from me. I looked down at my hands and started fiddling with my coffee cup. I heard him sigh uncomfortably. I looked at anything but him.

The sun was rising higher as the morning continued. I thought back to the time when Apollo let me drive his chariot and I grimaced at the thought. The sky was a bright azure with some clouds; though, they felt as if they were lingering uncomfortably, nervously almost. A small breeze blew some hair in my face and I quietly tucked it behind my ear.

I heard tapping. It sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place it. Then, I subconsciously started humming and I realized what it was. It was 'Bennie and The Jets' by Elton John. I couldn't help but smile; remembering all the times I attempted to sing this when I was little and always screwing up or saying something that made no sense. My smile faded though when I remembered my mom. I looked up and saw my dad facing the sun and slightly nodding with the beat. It almost brought another smile. Almost.

I looked down. I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I looked up again.

"Dad…" my voice faltered as he looked my way.

I swallowed. I almost laughed. I had spent the whole night with him and now I couldn't even say a word to him. Of course, we hadn't even spoken. We were turned facing opposite directions the whole night. We didn't even say goodnight.

He raised an eyebrow as if indicating I continue. I pursed my lips and turned away again.

"Thalia," he said softly.

I stayed frozen. I didn't move or even show I had registered what he had said.

"Thalia," he said with more force to it.

I still did nothing. He reached for me but I quickly pulled away.

"Thalia Cassandra Grace." His voice was much sterner and I flinched. I hadn't heard that name since I was seven.

I looked up at him. I had been expecting to see anger or something, but I saw worry and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on, etched into his royal features. His eyes were much darker than I'd ever seen them; the gray was on the verge of turning black. The wind had picked up a bit too and more clouds began to form.

"Dad, what are you doing?" I asked still glancing around at the sky.

"This is not my doing," he said quietly.

I looked him in the eye and I realized why he was looking at me that way. I was the cause of this. He looked at me more intently now. I swallowed for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning.

"Thalia," he called once more and I slightly dug my nails into the wood of the table. "S-say something."

The breath hitched in my throat. It felt like my lungs were being constricted. I heaved a sigh.

I finally spat out, "What do you want me say?"

It came out more venomously than I had intended. He cringed a bit. Despite this, however, deep down I enjoyed it, but I wasn't proud of it.

He looked up at the darkening sky and I could barely see tears rise around the rim of his eyes.

He looked back at me with pained filled eyes, nervously smiled a bit, and choked out, "Anything really."

I looked up as well. Any hint of white was fading. Gray was taking over and it was still growing darker with each passing moment. Darkness and gloom was tightening its grip on the morning.

"I…I'm…" he began stumbling apprehensively until he sputtered out, "I'm sorry."

I could feel my jaw clench and hear my voice bitterly ask, "After seventeen years of hell now you say sorry?"

His eyes widen slightly and I can see the tears begin to build. "I—"

"Do you have any idea what I've been through?" My voice was rising, but I didn't care if all of Olympus could hear me. Tears of my own began to stain my cheeks too.

"Thalia-"

"No!" I burst as I stood. He recoiled.

The sky was black and lightning stung the air while thunder echoed. Rain began to pour.

"I have lost my brother because of you," I had to scream to be heard over the thunder and rain, "and I have had to live in pain every single day!"

He was about to stand when I screamed, "I hate you!"

He sat there frozen and I finally saw the dam burst. Tears flooded like twin waterfalls and he began to shake. I ran as fast as I could.

It must have taken him a second to comprehend what had happened because he called my name as I reached the edge of the woods. He called and called and called... but not once did I look back. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.


	10. Chapter 10

Family Bonding

Chapter 10

NICO

At first, the hike wasn't that bad. After ten minutes of hiking w came to a small creek. The high pile of moss covered rocks created a small water fall cascading into the stream. The trees were close together. We were surrounded by darkness.

I asked my dad if we could stop for a minute. He simply shrugged and sat on a rather large boulder. I knelt down to the creek and splashed some of the water on my face hoping it would help the coffee work faster. I shivered at the touch of the water; it was ice cold.

As I wiped the excess water off my face with my shirt, I thought I saw a bright light out of the corner of my eye. I quickly turned my face in that direction but I saw nothing. I just shook my head in annoyance. It was probably a trick of light. I continued to wipe my face and sure enough on the opposite side I saw the same thing.

"Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Did you see that?"

"See what?"

I looked in his direction to see him laying flat on the rock with his long legs dangling of the edge.

I hesitated for a moment. "N-nothing."

He sat up and stared at me with disbelief. "What did you see?"

"I…I just thought…I saw a bright light…It's nothing; just a figment of my imagination."

I looked up at the sky and saw more clouds gathering through the tree branches.

My dad seemed to notice this too because I heard him sigh. "I don't think it was the best decision to leave those two alone."

"Neither do I."

I sighed and looked back at him. He was still looking at the sky with an unreadable expression. His eyes changed from black to a color I didn't quite catch but it looked almost blue.

"Dad?" I asked slightly hesitant.

He looked at me with black eyes. "Yes?"

"What…What color are your eyes?"

A ghost of a smile found its way to his lips. "Well that depends. They are usually black; that's the way I like them to stay, but that is not the color I was born with. My eyes, when I was born, were midnight blue."

I looked down thinking back on something.

I then snapped my head back to face him. "Bianca's were the same way. They would get really dark and then grow blue."

He nodded. "Yes, I remember that. Your mother thought eyes like those were gifts. Then you were born and she cried staring into your eyes since you, you know, have her eyes."

His eyes wandered as if he was reminiscing.

Then he said something that caught me off guard: "You spoke with Hestia when you first arrived at camp, am I correct?"

I stumbled a bit, "Y-yes."

He nodded again with a smile.

"How close are you two, exactly?" I asked somewhat nervously.

"She is my older sister and the only one who hasn't treated me like an outcast or a monster. She is the only one I would ever do anything for."

"Do you love her?"

He seemed to be caught off guard a bit. "Y-yes, but what does that have—"

"I mean more than a sister."

He stared at me uncomprehendingly and for a moment I thought he was going to blast me. Instead he tightened his jaw and the lightest shade of pink graced his cheeks. He looked down and clutched something around his neck that I had never noticed. It was a golden necklace. His fingers began fiddling with the pendent. It was half of a flaming heart kind of like those modern friendship necklaces or something.

"Yes," he finally said at last, "I do, but I know I can never have her. She is a maiden and I will respect that. I am still happy I have my sister."

I stared at him for a moment before realizing he had begun to tear up. I'm not even sure if he was aware of this. His eyes were blue again.

I slowly and carefully said, "And if she fades into the background like she said…"

"I'll be damned before I let that happen," he said this with so much force I believed him.

Just then, the sky almost turned black and rain began pouring while lightning created false day light and thunder made the air vibrate. My father cursed under his breath and jumped off the boulder and pulled me up in one swift motion.

We were about to run off to camp when we heard Zeus' voice. He was screaming, I could tell, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. Within a few moments I could see him running towards us and I could finally make out what he was saying. He was calling Thalia. As he ran I could tell he was disoriented and dazed. As he neared, he tripped over an exposed root and my father ran to meet him.


	11. Chapter 11

Family Bonding

Chapter 11

HADES

I wiped away my leaking tears as I ran to meet my brother. If this was any other time his tripping would have been quite comical, but this was no time to be laughing. When I reached him he was quivering and choking back sobs. His nails were digging into the damp earth. I kneeled next to him and gently placed my hand on his shoulder causing him to jump slightly.

He looked up with pained eyes and whispered hoarsely, "Hades?"

"Shhh." I pulled him up. "What happened?"

He swallowed back another cry. "Thalia…sh-she ran away."

I stared at him for a moment. "Zeus, who caused this storm?"

He looked away from me. I shook him lightly.

"Thalia," he croaked through cracked lips.

I was about to say something, what I don't remember, when Poseidon called from my right, "Zeus!"

I turned to the direction where Poseidon's voice came from. He was running as fast as he could with Percy following on his heels. When they were in a few feet they screeched to a halt.

"Zeus, what is the meaning of…" Poseidon's voice faltered as he got a good look at our brother. "What happened?"

Zeus looked in no condition to speak, so I answered for him, "Thalia is gone."

"What?" the boys yelled in worry.

"We've got to find her," Percy announced.

"No duh!" Nico shoved him lightly, but I could hear quivering in both their voices.

I looked back down at Zeus. He looked utterly numb, like a frail doll. I will admit that I never thought I would see the king of Olympus in such a state.

"Nico, Percy," I said with forced authority, "you and I will go search for Thalia. Poseidon, take Zeus back to camp and wait there."

All three nodded but Zeus tried to stand and object, "No, let me search too. She is my daughter after all."

As he tried to stand he slipped but was caught by Poseidon who said, "You are in no condition to go out there."

Zeus tried to free himself. "Then I, as your king, order you to let me go."

We both gave him stern looks. "And we, as your older brothers, order you to stay behind."

The boys' eyes grew wide for a moment.

Zeus held his ground. As did we. He finally deflated when he had passed out in Poseidon's arms. Poseidon managed to lift Zeus. A look of understanding passed between us and Poseidon slipped away into the darkness towards camp. I looked at the boys and they darted in different directions.

I glanced up at the sky once more. It was a raging storm with clouds as black as the Styx. If this continued and lightning struck a tree then the entire forest could burn down. I sucked in a sharp breath. She sure is one powerful demigod.

POSEIDON

Zeus was pretty light but he was soaked to the bone. It wasn't until later that I realized I was too. He was shivering uncontrollably in my arms and his teeth were chattering.

Within a few minutes we reached camp. I gently tossed him in his tent and I dried the two of us in a matter of seconds. I covered him in a mountain of blankets and sat next to him. It was strange really. I had never cared for him like this before. He was the king, but he was the youngest, an ignorant child. Why did I care?

_Because he is your baby brother_, a tiny voice in the back of my mind nagged. It couldn't have been a conscience. Gods don't have those. Of that I am certain. It was something else. Maybe it was instinct.

"I'm an ass, aren't I?" I heard Zeus asked, his voice muffled by the blankets.

I licked my drying lips, but said nothing.

He slowly turned to face me. He almost looked like a sad puppy. His eyes were darker than usual and slightly sunken in, making him look older and tired. In the faint light I could see his cheeks glistening with drying tears. That is all I could see. The rest of his face was hidden behind blankets.

"I'm an ass, aren't I?" he repeated.

I turned away and shrugged.

He sighed. "There is no need to lie, you know."

I opened my mouth then closed and finally said, "You can be."

He chuckled hoarsely. "I can be, you say…but I know I am."

"You criticize yourself too—"

"Since when have you cared?" He sat up so abruptly he had to support himself with one hand so he wouldn't faint again. "You and Hades both have never cared for me. Why start now?"

His dark eyes bore into me and I looked away. I did not have an answer. I simply _couldn't _answer.

The only thing I could manage to say was, "Because you are the youngest."

He was silent. My eyes flickered in his direction. His eyebrows were raised and his mouth was agape as if trying to comprehend what I had just said. What he did next probably shocked him as much as it shocked me. He lurched forward and…hugged me. I wouldn't necessarily call it a hug though. It was more as if he had uncomfortably wrapped his arms around me. It took me a moment to register what had just happened, but when I did I slowly did the same. I heard quiet sobbing escape his throat. He was the baby after all.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I know! I'm a horrible human being! *starts crying uncontrollably* I'm so sorry! Writer's Block found its way into my mind and I couldn't shake it off. But here I am and here is chapter 12!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 12

Zeus

What was I doing? What was I thinking? To be perfectly honest, I'm not quite sure. Despite how cold my flesh felt, I could feel something within me light up like a small flame giving me a sense of assurance. I had never seen Hades or Poseidon act this way towards me. I was always the nuisance to them, the annoying pest with the big head. Why did that change now?

Feeling Poseidon's arms around me was possibly the strangest sensation I have felt yet. I felt so small. The beating of his heart sounded foreign to me as well. I had been this close to several before but had never paid much attention to the pulsating muscle. It was even and strong, like waves beating upon the sand of a beach. I almost laughed at the analogy.

Poseidon looked down at me strangely because I had apparently snickered without my realizing. "Zeus, what are you thinking?"

I quickly composed myself. "Oh, nothing."

"Have you been spending too much time around Hades?"

I scoffed. "You have been spending as much time around him as I have."

His brows furrowed. "Don't scare me like that."

I had to resist from chuckling at how sincere he sounded. The strangest (yet occasionally best) quality of Poseidon: He changed about as quickly as the ocean could.

His expression then became a somber one. "Do you mind if I ask what happened…between you and Thalia, I mean."

Any form of happiness diminished as I cleared my throat. "We had a…dispute…and she…ran off."

His face didn't change, but I could feel his eyes searching through me and it was quite unnerving. "Is that all?"

I gave a small shrug. "Pretty much."

His eyes never left mine and I felt my heart race a bit. "What was the fight about?"

"I…tried to, uh…a—apologize…and she got mad and…then she was gone," I tried to say simply but ended up tripping over my words.

The green in his eyes shifted into something I couldn't quite read. "I see."

Silence quickly clung to the air desperately. The longer I sat there the more I craved that warmth again. It was a queer feeling that I needed.

As I sat there my gazed drifted to Poseidon. His green orbs were slowly scanning over my form as if they were waiting for a nuclear explosion to occur. I probably looked pathetic for a king. My arms were limp in my lap and my back was slouched. My head was low enough for my dark hair to shade my eyes from sight but I could tell he knew I sensed his lingering gaze.

"You realize how awkward this is, correct?" I asked without noticing the irritation dripping faintly from my voice.

He shrugged. "I was waiting for you. Usually you are the one who can never keep his mouth shut."—Then added as an afterthought—"That's probably where Apollo and Hermes get it from."

A growl elicited from my throat. "Well you are usually annoyingly intuitive. That's probably where Percy gets it from. You are also quite the pessimist."

Playfulness found itself somewhere on his features. "I prefer to be called an optimistic pessimist."

I snorted and turned away.

Not even a moment later he asked with a heavy tone, "What are you going to say to her when they get back?"

The warmth vanished as I honestly said, "I don't know."

PERCY

Its times like this that I really wish I had a demigod sense the way other mythical creatures do. The sky was so dark I could barely see five feet ahead of me. The freezing rain and powerful winds chilled my skin. Sure, I couldn't get wet but I could still feel it. The lightning didn't help my nerves either.

"Thalia!" I called for what seemed like the millionth time.

My voice seemed to be carried off by the wind and masked by thunder. I leaned against a tree for a moment, the bark kneading the muscles in my back. I seemed to have neglected to notice myself sliding down until I fell to the soaked earth. My nails dug into the soft ground as I groaned. This trip was not going well. At first, it was a simple, slightly embarrassing, dream. In a single day it turned into the cruelest nightmare. I wanted so badly to turn to Annabeth, but I knew she was hundreds of miles away.

_Don't be such a seaweed brain, Seaweed Brain_, I heard her voice caress my mind as it usually did when I did something stupid.

A sigh left my lips as I stood and brushed the dirt off me. Tree branches snapped under my feet and dead things cracked though it was mostly drowned out by the boisterous claps of thunder. With lightning as my only light source I trudged deeper into the woods.

"Percy!" I heard Nico's voice scream from far off to my right.

My once steady pace immediately turned into a full on sprint and, I'll admit, a few tree branches found their way to my face.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Chapter 12 and 13 in the same night. Aren't you guys happy? I hope these will be sufficient enough for the time being until I update my other stories.**

**Disclaimer: PJO is yet to be mine…**

Family Bonding

Chapter 13

NICO

I heaved a sigh as my feet kept getting ensnared by roots of trees. I was used to the cold and darkness but not to this degree. At that moment, I wished for nothing more than to be somewhere safe, somewhere warm. My thoughts traveled to Bianca and the kind smile she wore in my dream that gave me a fuzzy feeling in my chest. Then my heart sunk like lead as her smiling face contorted into something of fear and torture. The sound of Kronos' laughter buzzed through my skull and I had to brace myself against a tree to keep from falling.

"Some bonding, eh?" I muttered as I looked up at the inky swirls known as clouds.

A flash of lightning blinded me momentarily and not even a minute later a boom of thunder nearly burst my eardrum. As my ears recovered I could've sworn I heard sobs. I listened intently trying to detect where the sound had come from. Up ahead a few yards was the sound of a girl crying.

"Thalia?" I called, my voice sounding thick and quiet, but the sobs continued.

I took a few more steps before calling louder, "Thalia!"

The cries came to a slow halt as I heard the muffled reply, "Nico?"

"I'm coming!"

I ran a few feet and tried to jump over a protruding root but my foot caught it. I only had time to let out a startled yelp before I hit the floor and skid to a stop face first. I mentally cursed as I spit out some dirt and rocks. A sharp pain ran through my arm as I noticed a cut a few inches long running along my forearm.

"Nico," I heard Thalia gasp not that far off to my left. "Oh gods, are you okay?"

She emerged from under a thick bush. I was glad to find her, but to be honest, she didn't look that great. Her entire face seemed to have swollen up a bit and was a light shade of pink. Her eyes were puffy and red and they looked hollow; quite unusual since they always sparked with energy. Twigs and leaves were stuck in her hair and her clothes were soaked and covered with dirt.

"Yeah," I managed as I regained my breath.

"What are you doing here?" she sniffed as she tucked some stray hair from her face.

"Looking for you like everyone else. The others are worried about you."

She snorted. "I highly doubt the gods are worried about me."

"Well they are, actually, more or less."

She looked at me and the blue became duller as I watched. "Please don't lie to me, Nico. I've had enough of that; as much as I can take."

"I'm not!" I insisted. "Your dad especially—"

"I said stop, Nico!" Her voice turned hoarse as new tears were shed.

"H—hey," I said as I sat up abruptly, "I didn't mean—"

Before I could finish, she threw herself at me and nearly suffocated me in a hug. Her body shook as sobs racked through her. I sat there frozen for a while; I had no idea what to do. Finally, I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her and tried my best to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

"Don't be," came her reply as she pulled away and wiped her tears.

"Y' know, I'd never think in a million years I'd ever see Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and lieutenant of Artemis, cry."

She gently punched me in the arm. "Well, don't get used to it."

I cleared my throat nervously. "So, as I was saying before… I really meant what I said about your dad worrying…"

She looked away. "Really?"

"Really," I said nodding.

"I don't believe you."

I sighed in frustration. "What do you need to believe me?"

"I want to hear it from him."

"Gods, you're stubborn."

"I'm a demigod. Stubbornness runs through our veins."

I hesitated a moment. "Touché."

"Thalia!" I heard the call faint in the wind.

"Is that Percy?" Thalia asked.

"Do you know anyone else with that voice?" I grumbled before shouting as loud as I could, "Percy!"

For a moment I thought he didn't hear me. Then I heard branches breaking and Percy cursing in ancient Greek and English. Within a matter of minutes the son of Poseidon sprung from the trees only to end up like George of the Jungle.

A chuckle rose from Thalia. "Well, aren't you guys just falling for me?"

Percy looked up dazed. "Thals?"

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." She waved.

He shook himself from his dizzy state and glared at her. "We've been looking for you for forever!"

"So I've heard," she muttered.

An air of awkwardness and tension slipped between us and I shuffled uncomfortably. Rain droplets seemed to stop in midair around Percy and sparks seemed to bounce around Thalia. The feeling seemed to dissipate as their features calmed. The same thing appeared to be happening with the weather as the wind slowed to a gentle breeze, the rain fell in soft showers, and the clouds ran out of ink turning them grayer by the minute letting light into the valley. Thalia's face grew weary.

"You okay, Thals?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," she breathed, "just tired."

"Well, considering what you just did, that isn't very surprising," a dark voice said from behind us, but I knew who it was.

"Hey, dad," I sighed and turned. "Nice timing."

He shrugged as the rain came to a halt. "I was searching through the shadows, but since there were so many… Even I am tired."

He gave Thalia a pointed look and she swallowed. "I'm sorry…"

"No need to apologize. I know how infuriating your father can be."

I looked at him strangely. "Dad, are you alright?"

He scowled at me a bit. "Fine. Why?"

"I think you've been spending too much time with Zeus and Poseidon."

It was his turn to look at me strangely and he shuddered. "Perish the thought. Now come. Poseidon and Zeus are waiting back at camp."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: It's what all of you have been so eagerly waiting for! Its… *drum roll* chapter 14! Woohoo! ... I think I had one too many Almond Joys… I'm sorry.**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not mine no matter how much I wish it was.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 14

HADES

To think I am becoming more like my brothers; what a preposterous notion. But somewhere deep inside of me I knew that he was right. I would never admit it though. Not even on my death bed if I was ever to fade would I admit such a thing. Maybe.

We said not a word as we walked back to camp. Thalia's breathing grew heavier with each passing moment. I could hear her steps dragging the longer we walked. Then it stopped with a loud thump.

"Thalia!" the boys screamed in alarm.

"I… I'm okay," she heaved breathlessly.

"No, you are not," I said as I turned to find her lying on the ground. "You used too much energy. Your body is too damaged at the moment to do much."

Percy and Nico each grabbed one of her arms and hoisted her on their shoulders despite their differences in height. Thalia's feet grazed the ground lightly.

"Don't worry, Thals," Percy said reassuringly, "we'll get you some ambrosia and nectar when we get back and you'll be up on your feet in no time."

She gave her cousins a tired smile. "Thanks. Where would I be without you two?"

Nico sighed nonchalantly and said rather bluntly, "Oh, I don't know… Dead."

His cousins just stared at him before Percy said, "I prefer to say your life would be utterly boring."

"That too," Nico mumbled.

I couldn't help but shake my head at their antics. "You three…"

They gave me crooked smiles and memories I hid deep within my psyche resurfaced. Memories of what my brothers and I were like when we were as naïve as them. The times when we could stand each other more or less and could actually hold a civilized conversation without arguing. I never said it out loud, but I missed those moments.

I shook my head from my reminiscing. "We should be going if you are ready."

"Sir, yes sir," they chuckled.

These children were as strange as their fathers. Minus me, of course, I am the only normal one of my brothers.

THALIA

I was glad my cousins came along when they did. Depression had seeped into every crevice of my being and I did not like it one bit. Thankfully, they pulled me out, just like they always do when I'm feeling down. I wasn't totally convinced that my dad had worried about me, but I guess I would find out when I saw him. I think about what he said before I ran and I wonder, _how many ways could that have played out regardless if I had left or not?_

It was a strange feeling to be carried like this by the boys though. I had to bend my neck at a slightly uncomfortable angle to see straight because of how much shorter Nico was than Percy. It was pretty funny since I was in the middle height wise with my feet barely touching the ground.

"How are you holding up, Nico?" I asked when I heard his breathing become a little labored.

"I'm fine," he said rather stubbornly.

"Are you sure, considering how much smaller you are than the two of us, I mean."

"Oh, freaking dandy now that you mentioned it," he snapped playfully.

"Hey, I'm just looking out for you," I chuckled.

"I know."

Ahead I could see Hades shaking his head. The fact that he was being so kind, I guess you could say, was a little unnerving. It was not something I was use to from him. Maybe this was his indirect way of saying sorry or something. Or maybe what Nico said was true. Poseidon and my dad could be getting to him, though that was kind of a frightening thought.

Soon the canopy of trees disappeared to reveal blinding light. The abrupt change of lighting made me curse as my eyes adjusted. We were back in the meadow, our campsite mere yards away. Poseidon was drying everything that had gotten wet during the storm. Guilt washed over me as I saw all the work he was doing. He must have heard us coming because he turned and smiled in relief when he saw us.

"I am glad you are safe," he said kindly when we in the center of camp.

"Th—thanks," I said uneasily and looked around unsteadily looking for my dad.

He must have realized this because he said, "If you do not wish to see your father yet, you can use our tent."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

The boys set me in the tent. As Percy searched for some ambrosia and nectar from his pack, I could hear shuffling from another tent.

"Hades," I heard my father say rather astonished. "Did you find Thalia? Where—"

"She is resting in Poseidon's tent, though I would advise you to let her settle down before speaking to her," Hades said firmly.

All was silent before he said, "Very well and…th—thank…you… Thank you, Hades."

"You are welcome." Hades must have been just as surprised as I was because it came out as more of a question.

I let out an uneven sigh. "I'm glad I don't have to deal with him yet."

"Did you hear how worried he was?" Percy asked.

His searching gaze made me feel nervous. "Yeah, yeah, I did."

"Do you believe us now?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, you two were right."

Percy smiled mischievously. "Two_ boys_ were right?"

Nico continued with the joke. "Did this just come from the Lieutenant of Artemis?"

"Oh ha-ha, you two, very funny," I said flatly but was smiling none the less.

"Any time," Percy promised with his signature goofy grin.

"We demigods have to stick together. We are family after all, right?" Nico said and he almost reminded me of when we first met with the eager eyes of a hyper ten year old.

"Thanks, guys, for everything."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 15! I won't keep you long so enjoy and review please!**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not my property.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 15

PERCY

I can't believe it's only the second day. Already there has been so much trouble. Yet, there has been some bonding wedged somewhere in there. I mean, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but this? I'm not surprised that we've nearly tried to kill each other almost half a dozen times. It actually surprises me more that we _haven't_ killed each other yet.

Thalia plopped onto the sleeping bag as she tossed an ambrosia cube into her mouth. "Man, I'm beat."

"Well," I sighed, "considering what you just did, that isn't very shocking."

She shrugged as she took a swig of nectar. "I guess."

As she set the bottle down I asked, "What's it taste like?"

She looked at me quizzically. "The nectar?"

I nodded feeling a little dumb for some reason.

"Well," she drawled, "it tastes…kind of…like,uh…hot chocolate."

I raised an eyebrow. "Hot chocolate? Why?"

She shrugged again with a small smile on her lips. "I guess it's because it was my b—"she abruptly stopped as her smile disappeared. "It was my favorite drink when I was little. What about you?"

Her change in demeanor kind of threw me off but I answered none the less. "Uh, my mom's homemade blue chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven."

"It tastes like German chocolate to me," Nico said, and I had the feeling he felt left out of the conversation.

We both looked at him. "German chocolate?"

"I don't know why. Don't look at me like that," he said all defensively as a light shade of pink grazed his cheeks and he huffed. "And it's funny how all of us like chocolate."

"Oh I'm horrible," Thalia sighed. "I think I need to go to some C.A. meetings."

"'Chocolate Anonymous'?" Nico and I asked in disbelief.

"Yes," I said sarcastically, "because there is such a thing."

"You don't know!" She flushed crimson.

I held up my hands in surrender. "You're right. What does a boy like me know anyways?"

She huffed irritably. "Can you stop with the 'boy' thing?"

I chuckled and scratched my head nervously. "Sure thing, Thals."

It got quiet all of a sudden. At first the air was lighthearted, but after a while it morphed into uneasiness. I shifted uncomfortably. I glanced at Nico and found him leaning against the tent staring at the ceiling with half lidded eyes.

"Hey, Perce?" Thalia called; her voice sounded almost hollow.

"Yeah?"

"Did you…did you ever think your dad didn't care about you?" Her gaze was in her lap and she looked limp like a doll.

I tried to smile gently. "You bet I did."

Nico scoffed as he looked at me. "And to think you two have the best relationship here."

"It wasn't always like that. The first time we met, he said I was a wrongdoing, a mistake. Of course he was talking to Zeus at the time and I understand now, but still…it stung for years."

Nico drew in a deep breath. "At least you two don't have siblings"—I could've sworn I saw Thalia flinch, but I could be wrong—"your dads compare you two with."

I snorted. "You mean a demigod sibling. I have multiple immortal siblings, remember? And most of them don't like me."

"Those are the exception."

"I wonder what it's like to be _normal_," Thalia said out of the blue.

"Define 'normal'?"

"Well," she sighed with an exasperated smile, "I mean, mortal…human."

"You make it sound like we're some kind of freaks," I commented.

"If people knew about us, don't you think that's exactly what they would say?"

"Why does it even matter?" Nico growled. "No one is ever going to find out anyway. The Mist is too strong for simple folk to see through, remember?"

"Rachael can see through it," I countered.

"Yeah, but she isn't normal."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I am so telling her you said that."

His eyes widened as a panicked expression crossed his face. "Please don't."

"Afraid Nico?" Thalia chuckled.

"Oh he should be," I said as I draped my arm around her shoulder. "She's dangerous, especially when a blue plastic hair brush is handy."

His face was redder than red. "Stop it, you two."

I finally decided to take pity on the poor kid and changed the subject. "What do you guys think we're going to be doing for the rest of the trip?"

They glanced at each other, then at me and shrugged. "I don't know."

"What is there to do?" Thalia asked as she took a sip of nectar.

"Bond," Nico said bluntly.

Thalia slapped him upside the head. "No duh, Zombie boy, 'cause that's so not why we're here."

"Now I know what therapy is like," I said out of nowhere as they were fighting.

"What?" They were looking at me strangely.

"Doesn't this feel like therapy, or at least what you'd think therapy was like?"

"I guess," Thalia mumbled.

"And how does that make you feel?" Nico asked her in mock politeness with a fake accent he must have thought a therapist would talk with.

I had to bite my lip to stifle the laughter brought on by the sight of Thalia trying to smother Nico with my pillow. Besides Thalia's angry screams and Nico's choked breaths, I could have sworn I heard chuckling from outside the tent.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Chapter 16 at last! I'm so glad this story is as loved as it is. Enjoy and don't be scared to review!**

**Disclaimer: Not my property, not my book series, not my nada… If it was mine it probably wouldn't be as good as it is.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 16

POSEIDON

The laughter of the children must have been contagious for I felt rumbling within my own chest. Hades gave a husky chuckle as well as he leaned on his hand propped up on the table. Zeus just sat on the bench, his gaze downcast. My chortles bubbled down to snickers before ceasing completely as I sat by Zeus. He didn't seem to register my presence until I gently nudged him.

He shook his head furiously and blinked quickly and turned to me with a scowl. "What?"

_There's my real brother_, I thought as I shook my head. "Nothing."

He snorted and turned away. "Then go away."

I looked at him quizzically and said playfully, "What happened to earlier; when you were_ hugging_ me?"

Hades looked up in a daze. "Wait—what? He was hugging you? Well, isn't that quite peculiar…?"

"Hush," Zeus said rather harshly though I could have sworn a light tint of pink played with his cheeks.

Just then, the tent opened and Nico stepped out. When he turned and saw us he froze for a moment. Then, his muscles quickly relaxed but he shifted nervously as if our eyes made him uncomfortable, which I didn't really doubt.

"Um…" he trailed off sheepishly, "is there a first aid kit?"

Hades narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Nico's eyes wandered slightly as he hesitantly said, "I, uh, cut myself while searching for Thalia."

Hades beckoned the boy over with gesture of his hand. Nico paused before shuffling to his father and holding out his arm. Hades raised his eyebrows a fraction of a degree in what I had become accustomed to as his way of showing concern. From what I could see there was no blood, but I could just barely make out a long gash on his forearm. Hades sat there a moment before standing and heading to their tent. He returned with a black canteen, which he promptly uncapped, and an ace bandage. Nico drew a sharp intake of breath as the nectar met his wound. Hades wrapped the bandage around his forearm and looked back at Nico's face. The boy nodded awkwardly before heading back to the tent to be with his cousins. Hades returned to leaning back on his hand.

He must have felt our gazes on him because he snapped, "What?"

I simply shook my head. "Nothing, I just haven't seen that amount of, uh, concern from you in quite a few centuries."

His gazed shifted uneasily as he squirmed uncomfortably. "Ah, I see. It was not something to be too concerned about. Just a little scratch, that is all."

I noticed Zeus bite his lip to keep from smirking. "It didn't appear that way to us, I mean, with the concern in your eyes it almost looked like his arm was practically cut open."

"Is there a point you two are trying to make?" he lightly growled as his brows furrowed into a scowl.

I scanned over his face to see the corner of his mouth twitch nervously. "Is all of this because of the nightmare Nico had last night?"

Hades then quickly swerved around and reached for the cooler a mere meter away from the bench. He searched for a moment before bringing out a goblet. He only swung one leg over and straddled the bench and I could tell it was to avoid direct eye contact. That was one of his little tips of nervousness. I couldn't quite catch what he said but the goblet soon filled with a dark caramel liquid and he took a sip.

"You're avoiding my question," I commented after a minute of silence, "aren't you?"

"You figured that out by yourself?" he joked flatly. "My, aren't you the miracle brain child?"

Zeus watched our exchange amusedly and mumbled, "Who needs a TV when you have brothers?"

"You are not helping, Zeus," I chided lightly.

"No one said I had to help." He spoke with an air of childishness.

"I didn't think I had to say something," I sighed. "I thought it would have been obvious."

"Poseidon," Hades interrupted, "this is Zeus you are talking to. Nothing is obvious to him unless he is involved."

"I am not oblivious when it comes to matters that aren't my own," Zeus huffed and I could have sworn his lower lip was pushed ever so slightly out in a pout.

"Who needs TV when you have brothers?" Hades mocked, the corners of his lips twitching.

I gave a frustrated sigh. "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Do I really have a choice in the matter?"

I shrugged weakly. "Well, considering there is really nothing else to talk about among the three of us, so, you really don't have a choice."

"Who says we even have to—"

"Hades, we were brought here to bond. Bonding involves talking to one another."

He snorted. "Very well. If it will get you off my back, then so be it."

He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. "Have you ever felt like you've failed as a parent?"

His question caught me off guard and for a moment. "You are still avoiding—"

"Just answer the question and I will explain."

His demeanor struck me as odd but I answered none the less. "I suppose, yes. There have been many times where I felt Percy had hated and resented me for never being there for him. But, then again, isn't that what all gods think of themselves as they watch their children?"

He was silent for a long moment. With a sigh he took a sip of his beverage. Without a word, he turned to us and I almost gaped. His eyes had faded into a royal blue. It had been so long since I had seen those eyes I had almost forgotten about them. Zeus, on the other hand, had never seen Hades' natural eye color and gaped like a fish.

"Perhaps I am trying to recapture what I had lost so long ago," Hades said almost inaudibly, "my family."

His eyes shifted from me to Zeus. His countenance seemed to turn to stone and his eyes grew cold.

"You mean Nico, his sister, and his mother," I said, trying to regain his attention.

"Exactly." He sounded so hollow, but his expression stayed the same as his eyes never left Zeus.

"You are trying to reconcile with the past by living in and for the present you have with Nico," I said, not realizing that my voice was dropping as I spoke.

"That would be correct."

I turned to Zeus. He was fidgeting uncomfortably under Hades' gaze. It appeared he was trying stay calm and under control. My eyes flickered momentarily at Hades. Somewhere in his eyes I could see a sort of satisfaction. It was something dark and disturbed; something I hadn't seen since the Titanomachy. I swallowed. I didn't like where this was going.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I would like to thank **_**Theninemuses **_**for being such an amazing and excellent beta. An absolutely fabulous person that has helped me and this story progress to what it is today. I solute you! Enjoy and review!**

**Disclaimer: Nada de PJO es mio. (If you don't know what means ask someone who speaks Spanish or go to Google translate.)**

Family Bonding

Chapter 17

ZEUS

The feeling of Hades' eyes boring into me was unnerving. They were so cold and hollow it felt as if a dead body was staring at me. His gaze did not waver for even a second. I steady my nerves but they were beyond the point of uncomfortable. I tore my eyes away from him and looked at Poseidon. His face was calm yet his eyes were full of worry.

"Hades," he said gently, "may I ask how you came to a, um, decision like this?"

I finally felt Hades' eyes leave me and I felt my body liven up a bit. I glanced back at him to find his gaze become softer as he looked at Poseidon. It appeared I was the center of everyone's fury today.

"It was a revelation that came to mind after Nico's nightmare last night." As he spoke it sounded as if he had just been swallowing gravel.

"I see…" Poseidon's voice faltered into an awkward silence.

NICO

I couldn't stop staring at my bandaged arm. I had never seen my dad look so concerned. It was weird yet kind of comforting at the same time.

"Hey, Nico?" Percy called.

I was snapped out of my daze and looked at him. "Yeah?"

He chuckled. "You okay? You seemed to be in some kind of daze or something."

I glanced back at my arm. "Yeah…fine. I'm fine, just thinking."

"Nico," Thalia said softly, "can weask about your dream, last night?"

A sigh left my lips. "What do you want to know?"

"Well…" her voice faltered for a moment. "What made you scream?"

My throat tightened a bit. "I saw something I really wish I didn't."

"Like?" Percy pressed gently.

I choked back a cry, but let all the bitterness soak my voice. "Kronos' scythe against my mom and sister's throats."

"What?" Percy sounded flabbergasted.

"Oh, Nico," Thalia soothed softly, as she squeezed my shoulder reassuringly.

The horrid vision replayed in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to curl in a ball and weep. I would never do that in front of anybody, though, not even my own family. A son of Hades shouldn't cry like a baby. I swallowed before a sob could wrack through me.

"Do you think that's why Hades has been acting differently?" Percy asked quietly.

I looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he isn't as harsh as he usually is. He's nice, almost, kind of, in a way." He looked as if the words tasted strange in his mouth.

"I was thinking the same thing," Thalia piped up.

I glanced between them. "So, it wasn't just me?"

They shook their heads. "Nope."

Percy snorted. "Maybe it's the ultimate deceit. He could just be doing it for revenge on our dads or something."

"And have something up his sleeve that could beat them as he's gained their trust," Thalia mused quietly. "That could be the case."

"No, it couldn't," I snapped. "It's not like that…"

"Nico," Percy said, "you know what Hades is like—"

"And you know just as well as I do what Zeus did to my mother," I countered, realizing later how much I sounded like my dad. "My dad isn't the only one to blame."

He seemed to be at a loss for words, but Thalia was able to turn the tables for him. "And what about what he did to me?"

My conscience was shouting at me to just shut my mouth, but, for some odd reason, I couldn't do that, so, I just snapped, "It all worked out in the end, so why does it even matter?"

Her face just lost all of its color as she gaped. I internally winced as I saw all the pain in her eyes. Percy seemed just as shocked by my reply. However, his expression quickly shifted into a glare I hadn't seen since he thought I betrayed him.

"Get out," he growled.

I huffed and glared back. "Fine by me. I didn't want to be here in the first place."

I grabbed the zipper and yanked the exit open. I stomped out, not even caring about the stares on my back.

"Nico," my dad called.

"Don't bother me," I snapped as I stepped into our tent.

I stomped once and fell on my back. My vision blurred as I felt hot tears threatening to escape. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. Regret and guilt were beginning to settle at the bottom of my stomach, and I hated the feeling. I squeezed my eyes shut and soon found myself asleep with a dream of Thalia, Percy, and I smiling and happy, which only catapulted me farther into my pit of self-loathing.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Yes, it is chapter 18. I am so happy you couldn't even believe… and to think we're almost to 20. I couldn't be happier.**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not mine.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 18

HADES

For the next few moments, my eyes never left the tent. Nico's outburst had surprised me, to say the least. I glanced at Poseidon's tent, where the other two half-bloods were resting and saw them glaring at Nico's back as Percy zipped up the tent.

I felt a hand nudge me and Poseidon call my name. "Hades, I believe we should end the discussion here and speak more later, if you wish, that is."

"That is fine with me." My voice sounded distant, even to me, as my mind wandered to Nico.

"Are you alright, Hades?" Poseidon asked quietly.

"I am quite fine, Poseidon." I grunted, as I stood. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to take a walk to clear my head."

"Be careful," Poseidon warned, as I was a few steps away.

I raised my hand in acknowledgement but not once did I look back. I didn't want either of them to see how unraveled I was becoming inside. This trip seemed to be doing more damage than good for me.

ZEUS

Hades' lean, dark form faded into the shadows. His gaze rested where Hades had been mere minutes before. The green in his eyes shifted into swirls of different shades in an unreadable fashion. His expression was stoic and he looked older than he appeared, by a decade or so.

"Have you thought of what you are going to say to Thalia?" The sudden sound of his voice nearly made me jump.

I felt my cheeks flush as I looked away. "Actually…no, I have not."

"Well, it would be wise of you to start thinking."

I opened my mouth, armed with a sarcastic retort, when a thought occurred to me. "Poseidon, what did you just say?"

"I said, it would be wise of you—"he began with a frustrated sigh until he quickly caught himself and sat there silent for a moment or two. "Oh good gods, I sound just like that know-it-all of a daughter you have."

"I should probably defend Athena," I snickered, "but this is just too amusing."

He massaged his temples, as he groaned. "I am glad you find this funny."

"As you should find joy in your king's merriment."

"Zeus, have you ever noticed how shallow and narcissistic you can sound?"

"All the time," I sighed as I took a sip from Hades' goblet; the sweet taste of Dr. Pepper danced on my tongue.

"It's times like these that I wish I could have a drink of something stronger than wine," he sighed as he appeared to slouch a bit in his seat.

"I have a feeling there are going to many moments like this over the next few days," I confided.

After a moment or two of awkward silence, he asked, "How do you think this is going to end?"

I snorted. "With how well it's going so far, I assume we will all burn in flames."

He gruffly chuckled. "That would be the immediate assumption, wouldn't it? I guess we will just have to see…"

Glancing at him curiously, I asked, "Do you think we are just going to make things worse or better?"

His gaze became a pondering one. "I…feel as if things will turn for the better…but I am not certain. I also feel…that the obstacles will be…um, ones of discouragement. It is like the Fates are interfering to see if we will give up…"

"This is like a test, you mean," I supplied.

"In a way, yes, I would suppose so."

My eyes drifted around camp until they came to the bright green tent a few meters away. "How long do you think it will be until she talks to me?"

I heard him heave a deep sigh. "That is not my place to decide."—he seemed to snort indignantly—"Please, Zeus, you understand women about as much as any man does. You realize that isn't very much, am I correct?"

I couldn't help but snicker at his attempt to humor me. "Well, I guess it is hard to argue with that sense of reasoning."

"Just give her time, Zeus," he sighed. "Everything takes patience."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, isn't that quite the hypocritical statement coming from _you_?"

"I believe the same goes for you, you child."

"I am not a child," I growled as I felt my blood boil.

Poseidon snorted once again. "Please, you haven't grown up in millennia."

"I have too!"

His eyes turned to glare at me and they were as cold as frozen oceans. "You are nothing but a scared, immature child who had to grow up too fast with no sense for anyone but yourself. You are nowhere near a king."—he stood abruptly and began walking away—"Now if you will excuse me, your _highness_, I am going to look for Hades."

His comment registered in my mind just as I was about to retort. Instead, I just sat there like an idiot, all by myself, in practically the middle of nowhere. It wasn't until his figure was out of sight did the painful throbbing wrack through my mind and my chest.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: And here is 19! I'm thinking about updating 3 or 4 chapters next time… I don't know, I might. It all depends on my schedule and stuff, but I'll try!**

**Disclaimer: PJO no es mine. **

Family Bonding

Chapter 19

POSEIDON

It wasn't until I was in the shadows of the trees did the regret hit me. My steps faltered momentarily as I glanced behind me. Zeus just sat there, as if he were paralyzed. In a way, perhaps he was. I couldn't see his face,let alone his eyes. A part of me was glad for this. Who knows what I would have done if I could…

I shook my head, trying to regain my composure, and walked at a slightly faster pace. Something in my mind told me this walk was more for me than to just find Hades. Maybe it was or wasn't, I could not tell. Perhaps I just didn't want to tell. I inwardly sighed at my frustration.

"I was wondering when someone was going to come looking for me." Hades' voice off to my right made me jump a bit.

He was sitting on a large boulder only a few meters away with his legs hanging off the edge. A ray of sunlight was slipping through the trees and fell on him like a spotlight. He was leaning back on his hands with his head turned away, so I could only see his profile. I felt something akin to jealousy when I thought of how much he, like our sisters, resembled our mother, while Zeus and I resembled our father. His eyes, that were much like hers, seemed to be fighting a battle from within as they shifted uncontrollably from blue to black then back again.

"It didn't take you long, did it?" he continued without ever glancing at me, and it struck me how strange it was to see Hades like this: serenely in pain.

"I suppose it didn't." Even to me, my voice sounded thick and heavy, as I attempted to make small talk.

The corner of his mouth twitched upward ever so slightly, as his eyes settled for a sad blue. "It is odd to hear you so troubled. Usually you are the life of the party… It's refreshing."

I looked at him oddly. "How so?"

"Even the seemingly strongest can fall," he said, as if that explained everything.

Without another word, I stood in front of the boulder on the opposite side of Hades. I noted it was as tall as my chest and I pulled myself up. I sat facing away from Hades. It was a strange feeling, to feel his back against mine. His torso rumbled, as he chuckled deeply and it tickled my back.

"You're scared," he quietly cooed mockingly.

I turned to face him and spout about how idiotic that sounded, but I abruptly stopped as I came face to face with him…with his eyes…with our mother's eyes. Deep down I knew they weren't hers; her eyes were much kinder and gentler. His eyes were cold and condescending. But they could both pull out anything no matter how far you buried it. His eyes are what gave him his reputation in the first place.

After a couple minutes of silence, he asked, "Did I strike a nerve?"

Without replying, I turned away. It was a relief to not look at him, but I could still feel him. His dark aura seemed to push against my back and crawl up my spine. It took all the self-control I had at the moment not to shiver.

Finally, I gathered my courage and said, "That's what I told Zeus."

"Why?" His voice was strikingly soft. "Because you see yourself in him, the _king_?"

I couldn't help but scoff. "I told him he was a scared, narcissistic child who didn't deserve to be king."

"Were you really telling him that? Or were you talking to yourself? We are all kings, remember?"

The heaviness seemed to be pushing against my chest, as I felt trouble breathing. "So, are we all just burdens then?"

He sighed. "Perhaps...to ourselves we are."

"Just ourselves?"

"Well, maybe not _just_ ourselves, but…" His voice traveled off to a sigh.

I was silent for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Hades…do you think we're…sane?"

"Not really," he answered bluntly.

Again, I stumbled through my words as I asked, "H-have you ever, um…wondered what it's like to…"

"Die? Yes, actually, despite me being surrounded by it day in and day out…" His voice was so quiet I had to strain to hear it. "I envy them sometimes… I am not the man I used to be."

"None of us are."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I give you guys permission to murder me... I so so so so so so so so...(goes on and on and on and on...) so so so so so so very very sorry. :'( I'll try to be better. I promise. School's been a pain in the butt and writer's block has a thing for me apparently...but in a couple of weeks, its Christmas break, so I'll have three whole weeks to write and update. I promise I will never quit a story, so don't think for one second I'm discontinuing :). So here's some more Poseidon/Hades bonding. The next couple of chapters will be wrapping things up and then we'll be back to some humor. Yay! Oh, and as a small favor for me, if you haven't already, please check out my poll and vote. It would mean the world to me. You guys rock!**

**Disclaimer: If PJO was mine, it probably wouldn't be quite as awesome...Okay, it would probably suck.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 20

HADES

Perhaps it was cruel comtempt, or even my wicked pride that allowed me to find amusement in the state of my younger brother. He looked like a disheveled puppy that had just been kicked repeatedly and thrown into the cold rain. If Demeter could see me now, she would probably screech and rant about how her assumptions of me had alway been right: I was a filthy mutt with not a single caring bone in my body, and that I was just as bad as out father. But I am not.

_None of us are_... His words stirred with an animalistic fury within my gut. It was a strange and unnerving feeling I did not care for. The only other time I had felt anything even remotely like this was when Maria... An uneasy sigh left my lips.

"Poseidon," I said at last, "do you ever regret anything you have done?"

He shook once with a gruff, humorless chuckle. "Everyday...sometimes to the point where I feel it gnawing on the temptation of self-destruction...though I suppose that has already begun to occur throughout the centuries, however slowly the process it..."

I let the words wash over as the sands allow the sea to wash over grains and suck them down into the dark, bottomeless depths. The once warm air turned into a cold, bitter wench, slapping at every piece of exposed skin in hopes of earning a bruise of two. A shiver ran through my blood, delicately dancing on nerves here and there.

"Do you ever tire of being the eldest brother?" Poseidon asked hesitantly in a near whisper.

My brows furrowed, my mind unable to process the meaning behind the question. I turned sharply to meet his back. "...What?"

He sucked in a rather loud breath, but not a sound left his lips after. I noted the stated of his body: tense and rigid. The tips of his ears were dusted light pink as if embarrassed. "Never mind."

A childish curiosity wished for me to pursue the subject, but I held my tongue, albeit begrudgingly. The question lingered in my mind a few minutes longer, just begging to pick at my brain. To soothe my nerves, I began to rub the charm around my neck with my thumb and index finger.

A breathy huff made me bring my eyes up to see Poseidon in a strange trance as he eyed the charm. His usually bright, sprightly orbs were glassy and stormy. His jaw was set, his countenance neutral and stoic with a less-than-tan complexion. His pressed lips them contorted shakily into a ghostly smile.

He gruffly said, "I remember when you leared she had vowed to be an eternal maiden... How long ago after the fact did you find this out again?"

An uncomfortable eruption of emotion burst in my chest. I swallowed down the tightness of my throat. "A month or two, but that's what happens when your family practically forgets about you."

"You were so angry I thought you were going to find a way to kill Zeus for letting it happen."

I almost wanted to wring his neck and curse how it was partially his fault for it happening in the first place, but I refrained to keep the conversation civil until he reached his point, so I opted to respond with, "I didn't think he would agree to such a ludicrous notion."

"Is it ludicrous because of how much you love her?"

I was almost caught off guard. "What about you? Both you and Apollo sought after her."

He shrugged in the best nonchalant way he could with slightly tense shoulders. "Rather her be an untouchable maiden than have us trying to woo her day in and day out, eh?"

I ground my teeth and turned away from him. I grumbled, hoping he couldn't hear me, "She should have told me before making that stupid vow."

Another humorless chortle rumbled in his chest. "Now that I think about it, after all these centuries, I'm glad she turned away my offers."

A sick feeling stirred in my stomach. "Why?"

"Because I am me."

I perked my ears up. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Hades. You know I still would be unfaithful if I was married to Hestia. Any of us would."

"Not me," I muttered childishly, my anger getting the better of me.

"Do you really belive that?"

The more I thought of it, the more I realized how much of a fool I was being. "No."

There was a pause, almost as if the world had frozen in place. "What would you have done if she had told you of her intentions?"

I murmured under my breath, the sweat trickling down my neck as cold as ice against my heated skin. "I don't know."

Poseidon leaned in closer, a slightly perplexed expression on his face. "What was that? I didn't hear you."

"I said I don't know!" It came out a great deal louder than I had intended, causing me to nervously bite back my tongue and tense up.

I did not dare look up to face my brother. However, I could feel his stare on my person. It was most likely the softest stare I had ever felt from him. A soft breath hitched in my throat when his back rubbed against mine. It would have been a comforting gesture had the moment not been so awkward.

"Would you have confessed your love at that very moment?" His voice was soft and steady.

My voice had decided to play hide-and-seek as I tried to answer. At last, I shoked out, "Maybe."

"And what would you have wanted her reaction to be?"

"I don't know...but sometimes I am glad I did not tell her."

"Why?" He sounded genuinely confused.

"Because it is nice to know there is ture purity amongst beings as sinful as the rest of us."

**A/N: There...I hope this will satisfy your appetite for a while. Am I the only one who loves the last line? Anyway, until next time. (and please check out my poll.)**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey guys! I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I'll try to be better about it, especially since I'm starting to get more ideas for future chapters. Also, remember if you guys want to see anything in the story just ask and I'll see if I can incorporate it in somehow. This chapter contains Percy x Hades/Uncle x Nephew bonding…sort of. Enjoy! (And please check out my poll if you haven't yet. I'm not quite sure how much longer I'm going to keep it open.) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 21

PERCY

It had been silent for a long time. From outside, nothing stirred. Sometime earlier I had heard one of the tents open and close, but after that there was nothing. Inside the tent, Thalia had fallen asleep next to me; her cheeks were still glistening from the dried up tears. I laid on my back looking up at the ceiling in deep thought. It felt like forever since I had heard anything. I had no idea what time it was, but from the position of the sun and the heat of the air, I could tell it was mid afternoon.

With a sigh, I sat up and opened the tent. I slipped my shoes on as I stepped out and took a breath of fresh air. As I popped my back and neck I realized how dry my mouth felt. Lazily, I reached for one of the goblets and it immediately filled with ice cold water. I plopped onto the bench ungracefully.  
>As I played with the water, twirling my finger and making a small funnel, I heard voices. I looked over my shoulder and saw the figures of my dad and Hades, approaching through the woods. They were chattering as if they were the best of friends, laughing every once in a while. When they saw me, my dad waved. I gave a weak one in return.<p>

"Where is everyone?" Poseidon asked as he looked around.

I gestured towards the tents with a nod of my head. "I think they're all asleep."

"So Zeus and Thalia…" my dad muttered hesitantly. "They haven't…"

"Nope."

He sighed. "I see."

I glanced at Hades and found that he was staring at the tents. As if feeling my gaze, he turned his attention back to me.

With a heavy breath, my dad grumbled, "I'm going to see how Zeus is doing."

And with that, he slipped into the blue tent, leaving me alone with Hades. Awkwardness weighed in the air. I quietly took a gulp of water. Hades shifted from one foot to the other, a look of contemplation crossing his features. He let out a deep breath.

"Perseus," he called and gestured with a quick snap of the neck. "Walk with me."

I stared at him, unsure of what to do. My brain momentarily stopped functioning, unable to register the words that left his lips. I considered what he had said carefully. Biting my lip, I glanced at the tents before reluctantly following him.

"Took you long enough," I heard him grumble ahead of me.

He led me to the edge of the forest. His gait was slow and tedious, yet graceful. He stopped just under the shadows of the trees and began walking along the edge as if there was an invisible wall between the light and dark; I stayed in the sun. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans and scrunched up his shoulders as if it were cold outside. It was obvious he was uncomfortable.

I opened and shut my mouth repeatedly, not quite sure what to say. Finally,I just spit out, "What did you want to talk about?"

"I do not recall saying I wanted to talk," he snapped irritably.

I felt that annoyed irk in my gut whenever I was around Hades. "Usually when someone says to walk with them, they're implying they want to talk. Am I right?"

His expression turned sour. "Well, aren't you a know-it-all? I had no idea a child of Poseidon could be smart."

I sent a glare his way. "If you have something to say, spit it out already."

He seemed slightly taken aback, as was I, by the amount of attitude I was sending him. "I have nothing to say."

"Right, so all of a sudden you just want to take a walk with me for no apparent reason."

"You can be such a pain, you know that?" he growled.

"So I've heard," I muttered. "But can you please just give me a straight answer?"

It got quiet all of sudden. I glanced over to see his face become a blank slate. His eyes burned as if he was in deep thought. Then his expression turned into one I had seen once before, one I had seen on Olympus.

"Are you trying to thank me for something?" I asked, trying to hide the laughter in my voice as my lips quirked into a smirk, noting how his face had brightened a bit and not in a good way.

"No," he snapped deadpanned.

I whirled in front of him, stopping him dead in his tracks, no pun intended. He pursed his lips into a thin line before attempting to move around me, to which I countered by blocking his way. I guess from the outside, this scene would have been quite comedic considering he was at least half a foot taller than me.

"This isn't the time to be playing games," he grumbled.

"Then just answer my question," I demanded.

"I am not trying to thank you for something."

"Then explain to me why your face looks just like Zeus' when he was thanking you and my dad for helping protect Olympus."

He had stopped trying to get passed me and was staring down at me. His eyes were dark and misty, and, strangely enough, they were softer than usual. Then he pulled his eyes away from me and brushed passed me.

He briefly stopped with his back to me and quietly admitted, "Thank you…for helping me realize…what's important."

And with that, he continued his slow, steady steps. I was frozen in my place for a minute or two before running to catch up with him.

"What do you mean by that?" I gasped out when I had caught up to them.

"And here I thought you knew all the answers," he quipped.

"Well I don't, so please explain."

"Think about it," was all he said.

And so I did. "You mean Nico?"

His silence was all the answer I needed. Again, my mouth opened and closed like a fish on land, trying to find the right words to say.

"Um…" I stammered, "you're…welcome?"

Apparently he found this amusing in an irritating sort of way, because he let out a loud breath through quirked lips as he shook his head slowly. "You are simply brilliant."

"Thank you." A strange feeling rose in the pit of my stomach. It was an odd sense of comfort.

"Just like your father," he whispered, though I think it was more to himself than to me.

After a moment of consideration, I asked, "How close are you with my dad?"

He glanced over at me curiously. "You mean how close we used to be…"

I tilted my head slightly to the side. "But when you two came into camp, you guys were laughing and—"

"Remembering what we once had. Nothing more." He said it with such finality I almost resisted to comment further.

"Well?" I encouraged.

"He used to be my best friend," he mused. "And then Zeus came."

I quietly gestured for him to continue.

"Despite him being my frivolous little brother, he was the only person I felt I could talk to—well, Hestia too, but mostly Poseidon…" His voice had gone unnaturally soft to the point where I had to strain my ears to hear. "Then I was banished from the world above…never to see those I love again for the longest of times…"

The way he spoke, the tone of his voice almost made me feel sorry for Hades. I had always understood why he had been so bitter, but hearing it from him was a whole other story. He sounded so heartbroken, filled with such intense pain.

After a few steps in relative silence, I wondered, "Is this why you hate Olympus so much?"

"I don't hate Olympus per say… I just hate Zeus." The softness in his voice immediately turned into a snarl. "He is an unfitting king."

"What did he do to make you hate him so much?"

"Besides ruin our great home thoroughly into the ground on multiple occasions?" he questioned through gritted teeth. "He took everything I had ever known from right under my feet."

I patiently waited for him to continue. When he didn't, in a very subtle way, I gently nudged him.

"I practically lost my entire family, my friends…and the woman I love." He had gone quiet again, and it was starting to scare me.

"You mean Persephone? But you get her half—"

"I do not mean Persephone. I mean—" He quickly caught himself and abruptly stopped. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sucked in a sharp breath. "Forget I said anything."

A heavy, brooding feeling filled the air. It felt like I was being constrained by tension. It was an extremely uncomfortable sense.

"I believe you have asked enough questions," he grumbled. "Now it is my turn. What is your relationship with Nico?"

I was caught off guard by his curtness, but answered none the less, "Um…I guess he's kind of like a little brother to me…an annoying little brother that gets me in interesting situations—" I subconsciously glanced his way—"but…I care about him and would protect him if necessary."

"Then, would you care to explain why he seemed so distraught when he left your tent?" he asked tightly.

I swallowed hard. "I'd rather not."

A shock of unbelievable pain shot up my arm when he gripped my arm with tremendous force. His face had contorted into a sneer. The mad intensity had returned to his eyes. He was the Hades I knew again.  
>"Answer me, boy," he barked lowly.<p>

His power was curling into my joints, making me feel weak and vulnerable. I stammered, "We just had a…disagreement about something… That's all."

"About what?"

"About…" I questioned telling him or not.

"Well?" he snapped impatiently, giving my arm a quick squeeze.

"About you and your intentions, and if we should trust you or not," I gasped out without thinking.

He quickly released me as if I had some sort of deadly disease. I could have sworn as he walked away, he muttered, "You Olympians are all the same."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I'm back! I know, I know it's been so freakin' long, and I'm really sorry. And to make up for it, I have a couple more chapter coming up either later tonight or tomorrow for they are being edited by the lovely TheNineMuses. Question: Is the deepness of the story making anyone uncomfortable at all…? Just curious because a few of you have commented on it… Oh! I now have an account on Fictionpress by the same name, so please check out my original stuff. And if it's not too much to ask, please check out some of my other stories. They aren't as popular as I would like… Anyway, enjoy and review! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not mine…sad face.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 22

HADES

I vaguely registered the words emanating from the boy's mouth. An apology of some sort, I inferred. The only clear sound that rang through my ears was the constant pulsating of my heart. Everything else seemed to disappear.

He tugged harshly at the sleeve of my shirt as he cried, "I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?"

My eyes flickered between the hand on my shirt and the desperation in his eyes. What did I want? Even I could not answer that question at the moment.

I roughly pulled my arm away and trudged onwards. "There is nothing you can do, boy."

"Uncle," he called.

I did not bother with him. I was done. With a flustered stop of the foot, the shadows embraced my being and I was suffocated by darkness, no longer in the presence of those who did not want me.

POSEIDON

A tired sigh left my lips. "You really are being a fool, Zeus."

My little brother did, in that moment, seem little. He was curled in a ball with his chin tucked between his knees and his arms holding himself. His gray orbs were abnormally bleak, almost lifeless. The only signs that relieved my fears of him somehow being dead were the light heaving of his chest and his feet twitching as his toes played with each other, a strange habit he'd had since before we even met.

"I know." His answer was vague and distant, as if his thoughts were somewhere far off, out of sight to anyone but him.

"You've got to do better than that." Irritation was bubbling inside me. Never had I had to deal with Zeus for this long, and it was taking its toll. I leaned back on my hands with my legs still crossed. "Just talk to her."—Then I muttered.—"At least we'll have one argument settled."

He heaved a heavy sigh. "It's not that simple, and you know it."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I know, Zeus, I know. I'm just… This is getting out of hand."

"It already has." He shifted so he was flat on his back with his hands folded together, making him look like a corpse in a casket. His thumbs fiddled with each other like his toes.

"I can't believe our sisters honestly thought this was a good idea," I grumbled under my breath.

"I think they expected this."

"What makes you think that?"

His eyes finally landed on mine. "Why else would they have thought of this? They had to have a good reason to think this wouldn't fail completely, hmm?"

I struggled to find the words and shrugged as I looked away. "I guess."

"Who do you think thought of it first?"

"Probably Hestia. She is the eldest after all." I let out a soft chuckle. "She once told me it was her self-appointed job to watch all of us despite our obvious dislike for each other."

"I've never known Hestia to be so cruel."

"Are you suggesting Hera then?" I had no intention of the words coming out as venomously as they did.

His eyebrows furrowed into a scowl. "Not entirely."

"But you were thinking of her?"

He sighed heavily through his nose. "Maybe… Not nearly as little as I would like."

I chuckled humorlessly. "I suppose we have no one to blame but ourselves."

"…I suppose so."

Out of nowhere I said, "What now? There aren't many moves left for you to make in this morbid game of chess, you know?"

"I know."

"So…what are you going to do?"

Just then, Thalia called tentatively from outside, "F—father?"

Zeus's eyes grew larger as his face paled and he sucked in a sharp breath. He glanced at me unsurely.

I gestured with my head to the entrance. "It's now or never."

With great hesitance he readied himself and emerged from the tent.

He swallowed. "Thalia."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Chapter 23 like I promised! 24 will be up tomorrow sometime, I swear…It's good to be back.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO**

Family Bonding

Chapter 23

ZEUS

I swallowed hard, the pounding of my heart beating against the side of my brain. "Thalia."

Her appearance was disheveled. Her clothes were wrinkled, much like my own. Her short, punk hair stuck up in multiple directions, most of which were directed toward her face. The brightness and defiantness in her eyes had dulled exponentially and they were puffy and red. I had no doubt that I was in a similar condition.

Poseidon cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm going to go. Come on, Percy."

As he said this, Percy was walking into camp and cocked an eyebrow. "Why—oh, okay."

Poseidon then added, "And bring Nico along, too."

With a minor complication, otherwise known as a disagreement, Percy had convinced Nico to follow them. My eyes lingered on their fleeting frames for a moment or two as I remembered the last time they left Thalia and me alone together. My fingers fiddled with each other anxiously.

When I turned back to Thalia, she seemed to regain some confidence as she stood much taller and straighter. She strolled over to the table where all the trouble originated from and sat down. I shifted nervously from one foot to the other before hesitantly following. The wood of the table felt cold as I laid my hands on top. Thalia's head was turned completely to the right, leaving me a view of only her profile and gazed in slight amazement at how much she resembled her mother. The thought itself made me heave a heavy sigh. Then she turned her head directly at me and the look in her eyes was one I hadn't seen in nearly a decade. A vision of her mother flashed before me, and it wasn't one of the good ones. Her brows were furrowed tightly together and a scowl twisted on her lips.

"You have some things to explain," she demanded, though her voice was dangerously calm.

I moistened my lips and looked away, unable to meet her gaze. I internally flinched when I gave the response, "I know."

I seemed to be saying that a lot today. Perhaps it was an involuntary reaction, like Hades' sarcasm, or Poseidon's humor. I lightly shook my head to focus.

"Well," she prodded.

"I am truly sorry for everything I have ever done to you." My mouth seemed to have a mind of its own as more and more words spilled. "I should have been more tactful when speaking to you earlier…I see now how I have wronged you in ways that are…immensely unforgivable. I suppose my brothers are right in saying I usually act before I think properly, eh?"—A nervous chuckle left my throat before quickly dying down and I swallowed hard—"No god wants harm to come to their children, in any way. I…we… Everything our children go through must be done alone, more or less…but that doesn't mean we don't look after them and help them when divine help is needed…and it doesn't mean I was never proud of you. I always have been and always will be."

The look in her eyes was unreadable, and for a terrifying moment, I thought I had made a mess of things all over again. Then she silently stood and walked next to me without saying a word. I was unable to see her eyes behind her bangs, but I saw a slow trail of tears streaming down her cheeks. I opened my mouth to say something else, to apologize or do something, but before I had the chance she threw her arms around me and nearly squeezed out every ounce of air in my lungs. She shook as she sobbed into my shoulder. Not used to these kinds of situations, I wasn't quite sure what to do, so I just inelegantly placed my hand on her back. I soon felt a peculiar feeling in my gut and before I knew it, my arms were wrapping themselves around her shivering frame. I gently placed my chin on top of her head as I sighed.

We stood there for I do not know how long. It was strangely serene despite the tension that clung to the air. The occasional muffled sniffle was heard, but other than that it was deathly silent. When I felt she was calm, I slowly pulled away. She sat next to me, straddling the bench seat as to face me directly. Somehow, the sun seemed brighter now.

"I'm sorry," she said at last, surprising me into a momentary stupor.

"What for?" I questioned slowly.

She let out a shaky breath, her head cocked to the right ever so slightly and her gaze averted from mine. "For doubting you. For…hating you."

The corners of my lips twitched. "You have nothing to feel sorry for. All of those things are all faults of my own. I take full responsibility."—Then added quietly to myself—"If only my brothers could see me now."

She snorted. "Oh, the things they'd say… What were you guys talking about a while ago, by the way, before Hades stormed off?"

"Um…" My eyes flickered around agitatedly. I was almost enticed to lie and form as much of an honest falsehood as I could, but something eerily like a conscience told me otherwise. "We were discussing, um, family. Apparently, Hades is still upset about what I did decades ago…"

She was quiet for a moment, much longer than I felt comfortable with. "You mean when you killed Nico's mother."

_Well when you put it like that_, I was tempted to say, but thought it wouldn't be the best idea to direct the conversation that way. "Y—yes, when…that occurred."

When I felt her stare on me, I turned my attention to her to see earnest in the blue depths of her eyes. "You've really screwed up, dad."

**A/N: Like? Don't like? Your honesty is greatly appreciated, guys. Until next time!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey, guys. I'm so sorry for the late updates, but to make up for my absence, tonight is a triple update. And if you guys would be so kind as to check out my poll revised, that would be great. Thanks! Oh, and small question…are any of you guys from San Francisco? I only ask this I just went there recently for a music festival with my school's jazz groups and might I just say I had a blast.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 24

NICO

Everything felt so surreal. My mind felt like it was collapsing in on itself and my body wasn't any better. I thought it was perhaps emotional exhaustion or something of the sort. Being so close to Percy after our feud was probably another factor contributing to my condition. Guilt still settled uneasily in my bones as I thought of Thalia's face and I internally winced.

We had been walking in absolute silence, save for the snapping of branches and such beneath our feet, when I blurted out, "I didn't mean what I said."

Percy, who was right in front of me, said coldly, "Don't apologize to me."

I couldn't see his face, but from the tone of his voice I could tell he was scowling. Poseidon's gaze shifted between us analytically without saying a word.

I sighed. "Can you at least look at me when we're talking?"

He turned so sharply I nearly walked right into him. His eyes were dark and glazed over, as if his head was somewhere else. His face was stoic like a statue. Maybe I had shown signs of fright because when he looked into my eyes his countenance softened to resemble closely to the Percy I knew. He let out a deep sigh.

"I talked to your dad," he admitted.

For a second, I thought I misheard him and raised an eyebrow. "What? When?"

"Not too long ago."

"About what?"

He seemed hesitant to tell me. "…You."

I was literally speechless, unable to form any coherent words under these circumstances. Then I sputtered, "Wh—what about m—me? Why were you guys t—talking about me? Wh-what did you say?"

He shifted from foot to foot awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. "Well…he asked what kind of relationship we had and what I thought about you. Like a brother, I said. Then he asked if I thought of you like that, then why would you be so upset. And I…told him…why…"

His voice faltered by the end and realization set in. My jaw tightened and I pursed my lips. I turned my head away as I noticed how distraught Percy looked.

"And?" I asked impatiently.

"Then he left," he stated bluntly.

"That's it? He just left?" I was dumbfounded.

He nodded slowly. "Uh-huh."

"Hades is a difficult being to comprehend," Poseidon put in, nearly making me jump. "Do not fret. I'm sure he's just sulking somewhere around here. He will be his old self soon enough."

His tone wasn't very reassuring. It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. I swallowed and turned back to Percy. His expression wasn't very comforting. His eyes were downcast and his face solemn.

"I…" his voice broke off. "I'm sorry for being so cold. I shouldn't have been so mean to you. I know if you guys were talking about my dad like that, I would have reacted the same way…so…I'm sorry."

He put out his hand awkwardly. I stared at it for a minute. Out of my peripheral vision I saw his expression momentarily fall into one of worry. Just to milk the moment, I stared at it for a while longer before grasping it tightly. I heard him softly release a sigh of relief.

"So you don't hate me?" he asked.

I smirked. "It's too hard to hate you, Seaweed Brain. You're too obtusely oblivious to hate."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What the heck is that suppose to mean?"

"Oh nothing," I said nonchalantly.

Poseidon's shoulders shook with silent mirth as he rolled his eyes. And with that, we continued our walk. The air felt much lighter, more carefree. It was refreshing after these last few hours of tension. I glanced up at the sky to see it was bright blue.

"Those two must be doing well," I commented.

"What are you—Oh." Realization crossed Percy's features as his eyes scanned the sky. "Must be, I haven't seen any dark clouds for a while."

"Thank gods," Poseidon sighed, then added quickly, "pardon the phrase."

"I'm just glad our problems are lessening," I stated, a small smile on my lips from Poseidon's comment.

"Yeah, this is more stressful than it should be," Percy yawned as he rested his hands on the back of his head. It was silent for a moment. And then, "I'm bored."

I sighed. "What do you want us to do about it?"

"I don't know… Entertain me, Nico," he whined childishly.

How Annabeth was able to deal with him on a regular basis, I had not a single of Annabeth… "How are you handling being away from your girlfriend so far?"

His demeanor immediately changed. His arms and face drooped as if he was sulking. Not well, I inferred. I glanced at my uncle to see a small smile fixed under his dark whiskers. I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you lonely?" I asked innocently, well, teasingly would be more accurate.

"Shut up, Nico," he grumbled.

I poked and prodded for some time while he responded with the same answer. It was amusing to watch Percy's face become a kaleidoscope of reds and pinks. Obvious irritations soaked into his features. I was about to jab one more just because I could when a familiar voice swept against my ears.

"Did you hear that?" I asked.

"All I heard was you being a little smartass," Percy grumbled.

I glared. "Not that. And I'm not being a smarta—"

"I heard something as well," Poseidon intercepted, apparently tired of our bickering. "It sounded eerily like Hades singing."

_Told you_, I mouthed to Percy and stuck out my tongue. He stared blankly at me before turning away.

"Where is it coming from?" Percy wondered aloud.

"Hmm…follow me." Poseidon ventured off ahead leaving us to follow.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Second chapter tonight!**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not mine.**

Family Bonding

Chapter 25

PERCY

It took a while, but eventually I heard it, too. The echo of soft strumming filled the air as well as a voice I had come to know: Hades' singing voice. The song he sang was one that I knew. It was 'Behind Blue Eyes', one of the few by Limp Bizkit I liked. I could just imagine the pained expression on his face as he sang. It sounded so close, but he was nowhere to be found.

At last, he strummed the last chord and said, "I seem to be quite popular today, aren't I?"

We all stopped and I caught my breath. I turned and nearly jumped when I saw him sitting against a tree we had just passed. The shadows around him seemed to reach for him, as if trying to comfort him in a dark embrace. He lightly placed his hands on the body of the guitar and peered at us from behind his ebony locks. A sigh left my dad's lips as he walked forward and sat on a protruding root next Hades. Nico soon followed and sat on his father's other side. I stood there awkwardly for a moment before strolling as casually as I could and sat on the same root as my dad. I tried to swallow the tightness in my throat.

Hades turned to my dad and smiled, though it didn't seem to reach his eyes which shifted erratically between royal blue and black. "I am sorry."

Poseidon glanced at him questioningly. "What for?"

Without replying, Hades just simply leaned his head against my dad's shoulder. Then he muttered hoarsely, "I can't take this."

I couldn't see his eyes beneath his hair but I could have sworn I saw the faintest of tears trailing down his cheeks. Poseidon put an arm around him and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

My dad glanced at Nico and me before sighing. "Can you two give us a moment of privacy? Please?"

I stood awkwardly and turned, but not before catching Nico's doubtful gaze. He was hesitant to leave his dad. I tugged gently on his shirt sleeve and gave him a small smile.

"C'mon," I said with a small nod of the head.

He reluctantly followedand as we walked to a little patch of clearing several yards away, out of my peripheral vision, I saw him glance back at the two for few moments.

POSEIDON

Hades began shaking uncontrollably against me. I could hear his teeth grind painfully together until it became unbearable and they defaulted to aimless chattering in attempts to hold in his cries. I reached to pull his face up to see his eyes, but he swatted my hand away and recoiled into a dark ball. Instead of attaining his entire face, I simply slid my hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. He closed his eyes as I did so, leaving me to sigh in exasperation.

"Hades," I groaned, "please, look at me."

At my request he turned away and leaned his back against me. Tired of this behavior, I stood and walked in front of him. His only response was turning around. We went through this endeavor a couple times until I had had enough and snatched his face, pushing him against the tree as I did so. There was a loud smack from my hand meeting his face and a dull thud from his body hitting the tree, and I had no doubt the children had become alert, glancing at us wearily.

"Look at me, Hades," I demanded in a hushed tone.

I almost regretted my words as his eyes revealed themselves behind his lashes. A frigid shiver slithered through my veins as I stared into their depths. They had settled into charcoal black with a midnight blue ring around the pupil, fanning out like the rays of the sun. Being this close I could also see a thin sliver of white between the blue and pupil, making him to appear unearthly, surreal even by gods' standards. I would have given into my instincts to turn away if I hadn't noted how red and puffy they were as well.

I gave a melancholy smile and brushed off a tear from his cheek. "Do you wish to tell me what troubles you so?"

He shook his head like a child would, lightly and full of disconcert. "I would much rather speak of nostalgia than of dilemma."

I gazed off in contemplation. "Very well. What is it you wish to speak of?"

His eyes became distant as he searched. I sat with a content sigh as I watched him. As we sat there, newfound warmth spread through my extremities. It was a quaint feeling, but I found no reason to take it as a serious matter. In fact, I reveled in it.

A moment later, Hades let out a silent gasp and turned to me with, dare I say it or my eyes deceive me, euphoria in his eyes. "Remember when we first escaped from Father's stomach—" We both cringed at the thought of that place—"and we saw Mother for the first time?"

I felt my face split into a wide grin. "Of course I do. She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Not just her face either. She was one of the sweetest. I suppose that must be where Hestia gets it from."

A small smile was finding itself on his lips. "Yeah…I had remembered tiny details from when I was a babe, but they were so blurry…like an out of focus picture… I miss her."

"I do, too," I confided softly.

"Do you think…her essence is out there…somewhere?" Against the doubt, I could hear an ounce of hope.

"I don't know." The air became grim for a moment before I turned to him with as much of a smile as I could muster and clapped him on the shoulder. "I thought you wished to speak of nostalgia rather than dilemma?"

He seemed to be taken aback for a split second before collecting himself. "U—um, yes… Do you recall the time Demeter and I argued for the first time?"

"Um…" I furrowed my brows as I thought. "I…believe so…?"

He chuckled under his breath. "You two were still children, she ten and you seven, if I recall right, and I fifteen… It was so long ago…the memory seems to be fleeting…"

"What were you two fighting about?"

"You know, I don't remember," he said with a hint of amusement. "But ever since that day, we never were the same again… I will never say this to her face, and if you mention it to her—"

"I understand."

He shifted anxiously and looked around suspiciously, as if he were afraid someone might overhear. "But…I don't hate her… True, she is annoying beyond belief and at times I wish to wring her neck—" As he said this, his hands moved on their own accord in a wringing fashion—"...but she's still my younger sister…"

"And mother-in-law," I quipped.

"Don't get me started. That is a different matter," he threatened, though it was halfhearted. "…Now that reminds me of one of the first times she came down to the Underworld…"

"What happened?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

The grin of a madman appeared on his lips and he chortled, making me rue my asking. "Oh, Cerberus might have jumped on her."

He said it so nonchalantly I almost did a double take. "And? What did you do?"

His back straightened and his face became stoic while his tone was not at all demanding. "'No, dog."—He sat there without moving before turning to me and shrugging—"I tried."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You didn't."

"Oh, but I did." One of the most genuine smiles spread across his countenance.

"You are an ass," I chuckled.

"So I have been told."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Final chapter of the night, folks. I'll try to update as soon as I can, and seeing as school is almost over (I am so close to surviving my freshman year of high school), I should be hopefully pumping out more chapters than my wonderful beta, TheNineMuses, can handle. Another quick question: Who is your favorite character in this and how do you think I am portraying them? Well that was two questions, but you get my point. Anyway, goodnight guys, and talk to you soon.**

**Disclaimer: PJO is not my property…damn…**

Family Bonding

Chapter 26

HADES

The heaviness that filled my chest was receding and being replaced by mirth I had not known for some time. I glanced over at Poseidon and saw his cheeks flushed with blitheness as he was hunched over trying to contain the laughter I knew he wished to release.

With a breathy chuckle, I leaned forward, placing my elbows on my knees and let my hands dangle between them. My eyes searched briskly around until they came to an abrupt stop at the boys. They were sitting adjacent to each other although Percy was at a slight angle giving me a view of his profile. Nico was directly facing me. Behind his mess of hair, I could see his eyes glancing in our general direction and I let out a sigh. He had his mother's coffee brown eyes, but the light in them was most definitely mine. I tore my eyes away and turned my attention back to my brother as a rather interesting thought came to rest in a nook in my brain.

"Brother," I called softly.

"Yes?" He turned to me with the corners of his lips upturned in that foolish grin.

"A…thought has just occurred to me."

"And what might that be?"

"Well…since this is a…'family' bonding trip"—I made air quotes around family—"…I suppose this includes…us with our nephews…and niece."

His expression became perplexed. "Mhmm?"

"Well?"

He stayed in a bewildered state for a moment longer before fully comprehending my words. "You wish to know my opinion on the children?"

I nodded sheepishly. "You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."

He let out a long breath as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "Well… They…they're a lot like us. For example, Nico, like you, is sarcastic, moody, blunt, stubborn—"

"Are you done?" I grumbled.

"I'm just getting started." He turned to me with a larkish smirk. "And like you, he is just, sharp-witted, and good-natured."

I couldn't help but straighten as my chest inflated with pride. "And what of Thalia?"

He exhaled sharply through his teeth. "Thalia is…confident, proud, sure of herself…all of which Zeus is. But unlike him, she is a lot smarter for sure."

A loud laugh belted out of my throat so suddenly I had to cover my mouth in order for it to be subdued. "I agree wholly. She is also much more understanding and not as uptight… Perhaps she has been spending too much time around the boy."

He shrugged. "Perhaps… And what of Percy?"

I cocked my head slightly as I thought and clicked my tongue a few times. "He is…rather obtuse, if you ask me, oblivious at times as well as obstinate, impetuous, occasionally impertinent—"

"I get it."

"Oh, but I'm not done. He…is also loyal beyond belief, he leads well, and…he is a…fine…young man…" My voice faltered until I noted his boastful expression. "To which you should thank his mother."

His face fell and he sent a halfhearted glare. "You are right though. His mother did a wonderful job raising him… And I am not obtuse or oblivious."

I couldn't help but smile. "There are many who would say otherwise."

His glare became more solid and I held up my hands in surrender. "I only jest, brother."

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately…" he muttered thoughtfully. "Does this mean I get my brother back?"

"We'll see." A flitter of hope filled my ribcage as the words left my lips.

A moment of awkward silence came between us until Poseidon cleared his throat and asked, "And what will you do now?"

I glanced at him wearily before realizing the intentions of his words. "I'm too tired to deal with Zeus, at least for today. We can save that most _pleasurable_ conversation for a day when I'm not drained."

He nodded his head in understanding. "That seems reasonable."

My gazed drifted to the clear, blue sky. "Did you… Did you leave those two alone…?"

"Thalia wished to speak with Zeus," he informed me.

"But…the sky is blue…"

"I'm just as surprised as you."

A loud puff of air left my lips. "At least we don't have to go through that ordeal all over again."

"At least for today… Because I am pretty sure Zeus will say something to anger her again."

"I have no doubt." As the words left my lips, I stood and stretched. "Speaking of those two, I believe we have left them alone long enough."

He stood slowly and called the boys over. Nico looked between us uneasily for a moment until I noticed his shoulder relax and a small smile grace his lips. Percy wouldn't even look me in the eye.

"Percy," I said suddenly, shocking the boy enough to turn towards me flustered, "I…um…am s…s—sorry for…my behavior…earlier…and I…forgive you."

I myself almost couldn't understand my words as I said them through clenched teeth, but he got the general message. His mouth fell agape ever so slightly, leading me to roll my eyes.

"Um…it's…okay…?" He seemed truly perplexed.

I leaned next to Poseidon and whispered in his ear, "He really is your son."

I received a rather harsh elbow to the ribs in response. What allowed me take it as well as I did was the warm smile spreading across Nico's face.


End file.
